Military Tuition Assistance Funding Reinstated By Congress

WASHINGTON -- Congress voted to protect the military's popular Tuition Assistance program on Thursday, directing the Defense Department to find money to fund it.

After sequestration's steep budget cuts hit the federal government, the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps all announced that they would be suspending TA, which provides up to $4,500 per year for service members to continue their education.

The move sparked an uproar from members of the military, veterans and lawmakers.

On Thursday, the House approved a continuing resolution to keep the government running. It included an amendment -- first introduced by Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) -- barring the armed services from cutting all funding for the TA program. It instructs the Pentagon to find money elsewhere in its budget for the education assistance. The measure was also approved by the Senate on Wednesday.

"I'm pleased the House has passed my bipartisan amendment with Senator Inhofe to restore Tuition Assistance as part of the continuing resolution," Hagan said in a statement to The Huffington Post. "I look forward to the President signing this legislation into law so we can keep our commitment to our service members. The brave men and women who serve in uniform have never given up on our country, and now we have signaled that we won't give up on them."

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/21/military-tuition-assistance_n_2924526.html