General aviation groups are vowing to continue the fight to protect veteran flight training benefits after the U.S. House approved a measure to limit those benefits. The House last week passed by voice vote H.R.3016, the Veterans Employment, Education and Healthcare Improvement Act, which overhauls certain benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill includes language essentially capping veterans' flight-training tuition and fee benefits at public schools at $20,235.

The measure was approved over the objections of seven general aviation groups, who wrote House leadership that while H.R.3016 “purports to target and rein in excessive spending, the direction this bill has taken appears misguided and will do more harm than good.” The groups called the measure discriminatory, since the bill singles out flight training and added, “H.R.3016 is a disservice to our nation’s veterans, will exacerbate the deteriorating pool of commercial pilots—thereby accelerating the pilot shortage in this country—and will have a lasting detrimental effect on commercial aviation in the U.S.”

The organizations noted the bill is creating “a considerable amount of anxiety” among veterans. “Our organizations have received calls and letters from veterans across the nation, and it is worth noting that more than 11,000 communications on the issue have reportedly been directed to Congress," they wrote.

NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said the organizations are continuing to urge lawmakers to shelve the provision as the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Along with NBAA, signing last week’s letter to lawmakers were the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Helicopter Association International, National Air Transportation Association and National Association of State Aviation Officials.