According to a report from the Veterans Education Success, college students who are veterans of the U.S. military could be denied emergency aid grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, reports Inside Higher Ed.
A ruling by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos—based on the department's interpretation of Congressional intent for the CARES Act—states that only students who are eligible for federal student aid can receive the grants, which help students affected by the closures of campuses due to the pandemic.
Campus financial aid administrators told Inside Higher Ed that the only way to tell if students qualify for the grants is if students have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). They note, Inside Higher Ed reported, that if institutions exclude students who have not filed a FAFSA, many student veterans will be left out because those who receive GI Bill benefits do not apply for regular student aid.
The Washington state attorney general and California community college system are suing the department for potentially excluding undocumented and other students, Inside Higher Ed reported.
Related Link
Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/05/19/group-says-veterans-could-be-excluded-cares-act-grants