[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1212 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1212

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of basic 
 educational assistance for veterans under the Montgomery GI Bill, and 
     to eliminate reductions of basic pay for eligibility for such 
                              assistance.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2003

  Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Evans, Mr. Brown of South 
  Carolina, Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Michaud) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in 
    addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of basic 
 educational assistance for veterans under the Montgomery GI Bill, and 
     to eliminate reductions of basic pay for eligibility for such 
                              assistance.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Education Affordability 
Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF BASIC EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--(1) Subsection (a)(1) of section 3015 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (A) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E);
            (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(D) for months occurring during fiscal year 2005, 
                $1,200; and''; and
            (C) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C).
    (2) Subsection (b)(1) of such section is amended--
            (A) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E);
            (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(D) for months occurring during fiscal year 2005, 
                $975; and''; and
            (C) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C).
    (b) No CPI Adjustment for Fiscal Year 2005.--Subsection (h) of such 
section 3015 shall not apply to rates of basic educational assistance 
paid under such section during fiscal year 2005.

SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF REDUCTIONS OF BASIC PAY.

    (a) Repeals.--Sections 3011(b) and 3012(c) of title 38, United 
States Code, are each amended by adding at the end the following new 
sentence: ``This subsection shall cease to have effect beginning on the 
first day of the first month that begins after the date of the 
enactment of the Montgomery GI Bill Enhancement Act of 2003.''.
    (b) Termination of Reductions in Progress.--Any reduction in the 
basic pay of an individual referred to in section 3011(b) of title 38, 
United States Code, by reason of such section 3011(b), or of any 
individual referred to in section 3012(c) of such title by reason of 
such section 3012(c), as of the date of the enactment of this Act shall 
cease commencing with the first month beginning after such date, and 
any obligation of such individual under such section 3011(b) or 
3012(c), as the case may be, as of the day before such date shall be 
deemed to be fully satisfied as of such date.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3034(e)(1) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended in the second sentence by striking ``as soon as 
practicable'' and all that follows through ``such additional times'' 
and inserting ``at such times''.
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