[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1374 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1374

To amend chapter 1606 of title 10, United States Code, to increase the 
  amount of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected 
                    Reserve, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 2003

 Mr. Evans (for himself, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Filner, Ms. 
  Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Rodriguez, Ms. Hooley of Oregon, Mr. 
 Reyes, Mr. Strickland, Mrs. Davis of California, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, 
Ms. Lee, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Towns, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. 
Faleomavaega, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Frost, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Brown of Ohio, 
 Ms. Kaptur, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Bishop of New 
   York, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Sanders, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Michaud, and Ms. 
   Waters) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend chapter 1606 of title 10, United States Code, to increase the 
  amount of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected 
                    Reserve, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Selected Reserve Educational 
Assistance Improvement Act''.

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

    (a) In General.--(1) Paragraph (1) of Section 16131(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$251'' and inserting 
        ``$600'';
            (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$188'' and inserting 
        ``$450''; and
            (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``$125'' and inserting 
        ``$300''.
    (2) The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect on 
October 1, 2004, and shall apply with respect to educational assistance 
allowances under section 16131(b)(1) of such title paid for months 
after September 2004.
    (3) In the case of an educational assistance allowance under such 
section paid for months occuring during fiscal year 2004--
            (A) subparagraph (A) of such section shall be applied by 
        substituting ``$475'' for ``$251'';
            (B) subparagraph (B) of such section shall be applied by 
        substituting ``$325'' for ``$188''; and
            (C) subparagraph (C) of such section shall be applied by 
        substituting ``$215'' for ``$125''.
    (b) No Adjustment for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005.--Section 
16131(b)(2) of such title shall not apply to rates of basic educational 
assistance paid under such section during fiscal years 2004 and 2005.

SEC. 3. APPLICATION OF INDEX BASED ON COSTS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

    (a) In General.--Section 16131(b)(2) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(2)(A) With respect to any fiscal year beginning on or after 
October 1, 2004, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase 
(rounded to the nearest dollar) in the rates payable under paragraph 
(1) equal to the percentage (as determined by the Secretary) by which--
            ``(i) the average monthly costs of tuition and expenses for 
        commuter students at public institutions of higher learning 
        that award baccalaureate degrees for purposes of paragraph (1) 
        for the fiscal year involved, exceeds
            ``(ii) such average monthly costs for the preceding fiscal 
        year.
    ``(B) The Secretary shall make the determination under subparagraph 
(A) after consultation with the Secretary of Education.
    ``(C) A determination made under subparagraph (A) in a year shall 
take effect on October 1 of that year and apply with respect to basic 
educational assistance allowances payable under this section for the 
fiscal year beginning in that year.
    ``(D) Not later than September 30 each year, the Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register the average monthly costs of tuition 
and expenses as determined under subparagraph (A) in that year.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--(1) Section 3015(h) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``by which--'' and all that follows 
and inserting ``determined by the Secretary under section 16131(b)(2) 
of title 10 for the fiscal year involved.''.
    (2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply to fiscal years 
beginning on or after October 1, 2004.
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