109 HR 2131 IH: New GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century U.S. House of Representatives 2005-05-05 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2131 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 5, 2005 Mr. Edwards (for himself, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Allen, Mr. Baca, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Becerra, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Berman, Mr. Berry, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Boyd, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Butterfield, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Carnahan, Mr. Case, Mr. Chandler, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Costa, Mr. Costello, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Cummings, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Delahunt, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Engel, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Evans, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Farr, Mr. Filner, Mr. Ford, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Herseth, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Holden, Mr. Holt, Mr. Honda, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Israel, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Jefferson, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, Mr. Kind, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Lee, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Markey, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. McCarthy, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Michaud, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Mollohan, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Norton, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Olver, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Owens, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Payne, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Ross, Mr. Rothman, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Rush, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Schwartz of Pennsylvania, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Skelton, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Solis, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Stark, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Towns, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Waters, Ms. Watson, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Wexler, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. Wynn) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means and 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 improve benefits for members of the Armed Forces and veterans and for their dependents and survivors.
1.
Short title; table of contents
(a)
Short title
This Act may be cited as the New GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century Act. (b)
Table of contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents Title I—Veterans Health Care Subtitle A—Increase in Funding Sec. 101. Authorization of additional funding for veterans medical care Subtitle B—Equitable Medication Copayments and Enrollment Fees Sec. 111. Prohibition on increases in medication copayment for veterans and imposition of healthcare enrollment fee for veterans Subtitle C—Mental Health Benefits Sec. 121.  Definition Chapter 1—Veterans of past deployments Sec. 125. Six-year extension of eligibility for readjustment counseling services for Vietnam-era veterans Chapter 2—Military issues Sec. 131. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund Sec. 132. Collection of data from pre- and post-deployment health assessments Sec. 133. Preventative maintenance post-deployment intervention Chapter 3—Prevention, early detection, and treatment for returning troops Sec. 141. Study to identify factors that decrease the likelihood of the development of chronic PTSD despite combat exposure Sec. 142. Extension of period of enhanced eligibility for VA health services for veterans who served in combat theaters of operations Sec. 143. Demonstration project to station Department of Veterans Affairs psychologists and psychiatrists at major demobilization sites and military treatment facilities Sec. 144. Model programs for post-deployment mental health practice Sec. 145. Performance measures for Department of Veterans Affairs health care administrators Chapter 4—Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Council on Post-Deployment Mental Health Sec. 151. Establishment of Council Sec. 152. Duties of Council Chapter 5—Capacity Building in Department of Veterans Affairs Sec. 161. Plan for expansion of Department of Veterans Affairs system to expand access to specialized PTSD care Sec. 162. Additional Department of Veterans Affairs resources Chapter 6—Family therapy Sec. 165. Eligibility for family counseling and bereavement counseling Chapter 7—Educational initiatives Sec. 171. Training program for health-care providers Sec. 172. Curriculum and protocols for cross-training of Department of Veterans Affairs clinicians Sec. 173. Publication of state-of-the-art post-deployment mental health problems diagnosis and treatment Sec. 174. Protocols for pain management for PTSD and war-related pain Sec. 175. Protocols for treatment of substance use disorders Sec. 176. Protocols for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder Chapter 8—National Steering Committee on PTSD Education Sec. 181. National Steering Committee Sec. 182. Funding support for National Center for PTSD Sec. 183. Continuing education to mental health providers Sec. 184. Web-based curriculum to sponsor clinician training initiatives Chapter 9—Benefits Sec. 191. Identification of deficiencies in PTSD disability examinations Sec. 192. Criteria for determining medical conditions associated with PTSD Chapter 10—Public awareness Sec. 195. Public awareness program Sec. 196. Web site and materials for general campaign of awareness of PTSD Title II—Disabled Veterans Subtitle A—Payment Matters Sec. 201. Eligibility for payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation for certain additional military retirees with compensable service-connected disabilities Sec. 202. Coordination of service eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt Sec. 203. Interim payments under certain veterans claims when decision is delayed following remand Subtitle B—Outreach Sec. 211. Rescission of Department of Veterans Affairs memorandum Sec. 212. Outreach activities Sec. 213. Requirement for outreach efforts and dedicated staff at each regional office Title III—Survivors and Dependents Sec. 301. Repeal of dependency and indemnity compensation offset from survivor benefit plan surviving spouse annuities Sec. 302. Increase in monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to a surviving spouse for so long as there are minor children Title IV—Additional Support for Active Duty Servicemembers Sec. 401. One-time bonus for certain service in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom Sec. 402. Increase in active-duty end-strength levels for the Armed Forces Sec. 403. Additional fiscal year 2006 pay increase for middle- and senior-level enlisted members and warrant officers Title V—Education, Employment and Compensation Subtitle A—Active Duty Montgomery GI Bill Sec. 501. Enhanced benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill for four years of active-duty service Sec. 502. Increase in rates of basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill Sec. 503. Repeal of pay reduction and high school graduation requirement for participation in basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill Sec. 504. Repeal of delimiting date for use of entitlement to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill Sec. 505. Elimination of limitation to critical military skills for authority to transfer entitlement Sec. 506. Increase in repayment amounts under the student loan repayment programs for servicemembers Sec. 507. Expansion of programs of education eligible for accelerated payments of educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill Subtitle B—Reserve Montgomery GI Bill Sec. 511. Educational assistance under Montgomery GI Bill for members of the Selected Reserve who aggregate more than 2 years of active duty service during any 5-year period Subtitle C—Employment Assistance for Homeless Veterans Sec. 521. Reauthorization of appropriations for Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Sec. 522. Expansion of Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to include veterans at imminent risk for homelessness Subtitle D—Payment Matters Sec. 531. No reduction in monthly military pay and allowances for members of the uniformed services wounded or injured in combat zones Sec. 532. Repeal of time limitation on exclusion of combat zone compensation by reason of hospitalization Title VI—Reserve Components and Recruitment and Retention Initiatives Subtitle A—Health Care Sec. 601. Expanded Eligibility of selected reserve members under TRICARE program Subtitle B—Recruitment and Retention Incentives Sec. 611. Increase in authorized maximum annual amount of special pay for Selected Reserve health care professionals in critically short wartime specialties and authorized duration of pay Sec. 612. Reenlistment bonus for members of Selected Reserve Sec. 613. Increase in authorized maximum amount of Selected Reserve enlistment bonus Sec. 614. Increase in authorized maximum amount for reserve affiliation bonus under reserve affiliation agreements entered into during fiscal year 2006 Sec. 615. Increase in authorized maximum amount of general enlistment bonus Sec. 616. Use of referral bonus to promote enlistments in Selected Reserve Sec. 617. Extension of active-duty retention bonuses and special pays for health care professionals to reserve component officers Sec. 618. Critical-skills accession bonus for persons enrolled in Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who are obtaining nursing degrees Subtitle C—Payment Matters Sec. 621. Nonreduction in pay while Federal employee is serving on active duty in a reserve component of the uniformed services Sec. 622. Active-duty reserve component employee credit added to general business credit Sec. 623. Differential wage payments Sec. 624. Credit for income differential for employment of activated military reservist and replacement personnel Sec. 625. Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services Title VII—Funding Sec. 701. Repeal of 2001 tax cut for high income taxpayers Sec. 702. Repeal of scheduled termination of phaseout of personal exemptions Sec. 703. Repeal of scheduled phaseout of overall limitation on itemized deductions
<enum>I</enum><header>Veterans Health Care</header> <subtitle id="H4A9EAB928E394D61B866B369F03E83E"><enum>A</enum><header>Increase in Funding</header> <section id="HE84D1F271BA049A0A2036C28C9AED6FA"><enum>101.</enum><header>Authorization of additional funding for veterans medical care</header> <subsection id="H8CC03752E7CE4795801FDC8BAE536F62"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorization</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated, the amount of $3,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HEA2199366EFD491A00A6A2A385DC1700"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Improved access to care</header><text>Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) shall be used to ensure that veterans seeking healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs receive their initial appointment for healthcare for a date that is not later than 30 days after the date on which the request is made.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H1757FECDA09242D1AA59E3D7ED220B5"><enum>B</enum><header>Equitable Medication Copayments and Enrollment Fees</header> <section id="H5548085693904717B9DCA530572EF81E"><enum>111.</enum><header>Prohibition on increases in medication copayment for veterans and imposition of healthcare enrollment fee for veterans</header> <subsection id="H9586CDCC47F44FADA3F41F00E178DEDA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Medication copayments</header><text>During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on October 1, 2007, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not implement under subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1722A">section 1722A</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, an increase in the copayment for medications required under subsection (a) of that section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HBF672FDC5CD642AB886600A8E208B31E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Enrollment fee</header><text>During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on October 1, 2007, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not implement an enrollment fee for veterans enrolling (or renewing enrollment) in the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system under section 1705 of such title.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H3B0185E4EA8B4584B3AAB771C6384EAD"><enum>C</enum><header>Mental Health Benefits </header> <section id="HB8575D5AB8BF4E27B69B522B614B11DC"><enum>121. </enum><header>Definition</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this subtitle, the term <term>PTSD</term> means post-traumatic stress disorder.</text></section> <chapter id="H74D97AE1877A47EFB616BBBDBD4FDE7"><enum>1</enum><header>Veterans of past deployments</header> <section id="HCFC6D6F1EECB46EAB3C8D04F72BD73B3"><enum>125.</enum><header>Six-year extension of eligibility for readjustment counseling services for Vietnam-era veterans</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1712A">Section 1712A(a)(1)(B)(ii)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>January 1, 2004</quote> and inserting <quote>January 1, 2010</quote>.</text></section></chapter> <chapter id="HE94EBA53EB6E49CCA82717AF0056F61F"><enum>2</enum><header>Military issues</header> <section id="H0A03106D2A5143F38CEC56E3503FAEE4"><enum>131.</enum><header>Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund</header> <subsection id="H05F614378CC54DB4ADA4152B3E98CCD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly take such steps as necessary to implement the proposal of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences for a Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HDB1FA8375B9946B9A9143D9B9F374308"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Telecommunications support</header><text>As part of the implementation of the proposal referred to in subsection (a), the two Secretaries shall provide for a system of telecommunications to support the following:</text> <paragraph id="H46B3A39E67A648F89BED82A98DFFF127"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Continuing education and support for front-line (forward-deployed) providers of health-care services.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0876FA2F076C4093AD10B84BA51E0EA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Enhanced treatment capacity for addressing acute episodes of PTSD and other mental health disorders in combat theaters, including—</text> <subparagraph id="H3242A85B63314959979380B73EF4D8C5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>real-time access to clinical specialty support;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFF786FFBB10A4F3E99961CC7D3681C80"><enum>(B)</enum><text>web-based information on state-of-the-art protocols for the treatment and diagnosis of PTSD and other mental health disorders; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HACB34B6988C74612829CC7C8CA7FBD8C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>educational programs concerning PTSD and other mental health disorders commonly associated with deployment.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H5A2F5DEDCDDD4DF2BFB6B6C500C32299"><enum>132.</enum><header>Collection of data from pre- and post-deployment health assessments</header> <subsection id="H50D61C28CAA24E9CABC6F76F6891CBFF"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Data collection</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate steps to assist the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with the collection of data from pre- and post-deployment health assessments of members of the Armed Forces that may be relevant for identification and treatment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of PTSD and other post-deployment mental health issues. The Secretary of Defense may provide such information in aggregate, unidentified format and may provide such information on a monthly basis or on such other schedule as the two Secretaries may agree to.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H0812F41A1AAE4D348D33D0865F6D08EE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Consent forms</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall develop forms for use in obtaining the written consent of members of the Armed Forces to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to collect data contained on pre-deployment and post-deployment health assessment forms with relevant treatment information concerning PTSD and other mental health problems that may be associated with combat stress or readjustment to civilian life from those members of the Armed Forces to be discharged or demobilized within 90 days. Such consent forms shall be developed and made available for use by members of the Armed Forces covered by the preceding sentence not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC3C66F0442CB41AD83AD7079B6003B91"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Identification of substance use disorders</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall include in pre-deployment and post-deployment health assessments questions to assist in identification of existing or potential substance use disorders among members of the Armed Forces.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H78AFD5FBC6734DE5AD3BEC3EC6DAB550"><enum>133.</enum><header>Preventative maintenance post-deployment intervention</header> <subsection id="HB66ABFFD7250458A9F376FC14EF9CAB7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct routine preventative maintenance intervention for all members of the Armed Forces returning from deployment in a combat theater. Such intervention shall be conducted between 90 and 180 days after such members return from such deployment.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HEFDB58187523430B00A3C0D06B4BBC55"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Personnel</header><text>For purposes of such intervention, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use—</text> <paragraph id="H4481AF290FC14E99AAC61DAFAF41CEED"><enum>(1)</enum><text>staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including readjustment counseling staff; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCADFDF351A16409685BA40C19DF59B05"><enum>(2)</enum><text>persons trained by the Department of Veterans Affairs, including volunteers from military unit associations, veteran service organizations, or other nonprofit organizations.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HE83FDA8299D544498551CE5C1D45027C"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Size</header><text>Such intervention shall be conducted with no more than six returning servicemembers at a time.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HFBF455B3068147DBBA37A1D219BDAF00"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purpose of such intervention shall be the following:</text> <paragraph id="H275B6A5F2A04495B806525176070AA7F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>To identify and distinguish symptoms of <quote>common</quote> acute stress reactions from those of chronic and severe post-traumatic stress disorder.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9E69F39F0D064FA68C7DC332D8F9EB49"><enum>(2)</enum><text>To discuss concerns of combat personnel and those expressed by their family members.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H4CE1596472CF4A29B83E2EA968E24358"><enum>(3)</enum><text>To refer returning servicemembers to appropriate services, as necessary.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H923C975F9CF2453FAC1475C90798DCC9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>To disseminate educational materials about post-deployment mental health issues, including PTSD to servicemembers.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H46ADD364AD9644979265BB12FAF51FB2"><enum>(5)</enum><text>To provide follow-up educational materials by mail to family members.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H18123E61254E4533ABBA9611D05BC6D7"><enum>(6)</enum><text>To provide information concerning homelessness, including risk factors, awareness assessment, and contact information for preventative assistance associated with homelessness.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H8C3BAF0BE22F49219322E023DB625669"><enum>(e)</enum><header>VA participation in additional demobilization activities</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall provide for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to participate in additional demobilization activities, including the Transitional Assistance Program, that are conducted within the Department of Defense for the purposes specified in subsection (d).</text></subsection></section></chapter> <chapter id="H94ABEEDA59794124AAFA24FBCB747C"><enum>3</enum><header>Prevention, early detection, and treatment for returning troops</header> <section id="HCE07DFACAF5A4D47B1091900BEFB9B98"><enum>141.</enum><header>Study to identify factors that decrease the likelihood of the development of chronic PTSD despite combat exposure</header> <subsection id="H5C925F3724E0486BBCA4A2539E6E9DDD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for a study, to be conducted by an entity other than the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, to identify factors that decrease the likelihood of the development of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in servicemembers and veterans who have had combat exposure, including exposure to guerilla warfare.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HE67281A791C9429E825548D8AF481CDA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>The Secretary shall provide for the entity conducting the study under subsection (a) to submit a report on the results of the study to the Secretary and the Congress not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H8C9DBA1C227A4F3BACFB8D5BCE2364EA"><enum>142.</enum><header>Extension of period of enhanced eligibility for VA health services for veterans who served in combat theaters of operations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1710">Section 1710(e)(3)(C)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>2 years</quote> and inserting <quote>five years</quote>.</text></section> <section id="HD0CF5464B55E4C03864DBC476FBB0093"><enum>143.</enum><header>Demonstration project to station Department of Veterans Affairs psychologists and psychiatrists at major demobilization sites and military treatment facilities</header> <subsection id="H6EEB17EFFBF847B89146A6A17E77E7DD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Demonstration project</header><text>The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly provide for the conduct of a demonstration project under which Department of Veterans Affairs psychologists and psychiatrists are stationed at major demobilization sites and military treatment facilities.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H353300947998425E86328491E3117541"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purposes of the demonstration project shall be as follows:</text> <paragraph id="H108EFB4F6111488F8FC75D3452007C1B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Identify, on an aggregate level, need for mental health services among active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard members.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H552680F1801B431F00937F2CBF3B53E3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Provide such services or refer members for necessary services.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE5163537CD0D4F8AAD51D3DE68000288"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Advise servicemembers of the need for continuous services.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAA5983A0C93B44AC8267D6BA85BA2359"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Identify the obstacles servicemembers have in seeking appropriate mental health care.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HCFDD400B1CB845E1B63642FB906762B6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Funding</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008 for the conduct of the demonstration project. Amounts for the conduct of the project shall be provided equally by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H1C312EC4AC2E4F27A9C63656D704C932"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Eligibility criteria</header><text>Based on the results of the demonstration project, the Secretaries shall identify appropriate eligibility criteria for programs to best respond to the needs of veterans, servicemembers, and their families for post-deployment mental health services. The criteria identified shall be included in the report under subsection (e).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H84E90F25FA5348C4A796D5B44606B52C"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Report</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report providing the results of the demonstration project. The report shall be submitted not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H175FB9CADC1E4705B5007E27B0109582"><enum>144.</enum><header>Model programs for post-deployment mental health practice</header> <subsection id="H4F56B2327BFD4093A6E47FFE16B3D4AC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Model programs</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop model programs to respond to a variety of mental health disorders prevalent among veterans of service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The program shall be implemented at three sites selected by the Secretary, of which—</text> <paragraph id="H450C6697CFEC485C8DFD81FD6858599D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>at least one site shall assign case managers to veterans receiving care under such program; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1FF7CD7D5B1343ADA3A4F34B2F3F41FC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>at least one site shall use an integrated mental health and primary care model for post-deployment mental health practice.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H8D6C88E6AAD14CEDB84B01B455C381EC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purpose of the model program shall be as follows:</text> <paragraph id="H29FD5327A97D4F609CB1D573E4F8AAEC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Development of training protocols for involved clinicians.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE3CBA6658FD5449D9302D9E9D82D5FC0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Identification of medical conditions which may be associated with post-deployment mental health problems including PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA0BB7724035F4A69A812EDC5BC5D14A3"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Identification of <quote>best practices</quote> for treatment of post-deployment mental health problems including PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8FD92DA361844B6F8781002C6DB349E1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Dissemination of results to the Veterans Health Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF51B113BF9654C289C592C71EA9447A4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of subsection (a) the amount of $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H10272A00167A4C698FDC9357516BE091"><enum>145.</enum><header>Performance measures for Department of Veterans Affairs health care administrators</header> <subsection id="HE7D0AAD46C424758A23D147C41367B62"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Performance measures</header><text>The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Council on Post-Deployment Mental Health established under section 151, shall develop performance measures for Department of Veterans Affairs regional health-care directors (referred to as VISN directors) and Department of Defense TRICARE regional managers to ensure the appropriate deployment of resources to implement the treatment protocols referred to as <quote>Iraq War Clinical Practice Guidelines</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H5AF386C655084AA3BEAC3541C1BF1519"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of performance measures</header><text>The performance measures under subsection (a) shall be designed to assess—</text> <paragraph id="H8D608040E8144751BA37F4C300ADF95D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>access and availability of PTSD treatment for servicemembers returned from deployment in a combat theater; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HFDD1A911E4494E9CBC81AC33944DA09B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>implementation of protocols referred to in subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection></section></chapter> <chapter id="H78C81601AEA240F083F345FA28EEFA2C"><enum>4</enum><header>Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Council on Post-Deployment Mental Health</header> <section id="H7A8E682F67C94AE6AB8B76B14C122F26"><enum>151.</enum><header>Establishment of Council</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly establish a council to be known as the Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Council on Post-Deployment Mental Health. The council shall be composed of leadership of the two departments in the areas of mental health, PTSD, substance abuse, and military sexual trauma. The council shall be established not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></section> <section id="H8751A52D8E754FA4898839F5AEEB2633"><enum>152.</enum><header>Duties of Council</header> <subsection id="H9AA86307841D49E7B8FDEA84541EC19"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>The Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Council on Post-Deployment Mental Health shall have the following duties:</text> <paragraph id="H2C91A6411E24491DA4B55E6B776148DD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Review of the continuum of care between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs for mental health, PTSD, substance abuse, and military sexual trauma.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H31F506AFD73B414B8D83299CC35EEB73"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Identification of gaps in the treatment capability of the health-care systems of the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs for mental health, PTSD, substance abuse, and military sexual trauma and expected gaps in such continuum, with emphasis on access to services in rural areas, to meet the expected demand from current users and servicemembers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and other deployments.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H87B5FADC34F34F218269F29FD608506"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Promotion, within both systems, of an educational program to implement the jointly developed Iraq War Clinical Practice Guidelines.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H754BF80A00C7472FA233F870794CCE9D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Development of outcome monitors and quality improvement instruments to ensure that internal policy regarding PTSD is implemented (including TRICARE and VISN directors’ performance measures under section 307).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD8D1D1DE97AE4E6388781DFCF475A8BD"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Recommendation of policies to reduce the stigma associated with the seeking of mental health care by active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard members.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD4EBD2E6E6484BA8AE08F4DD1D997948"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Identification of the highest post-deployment mental health research priorities for the two departments.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA8E7040B6D164684A0AAA5EDFB00F"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Communications to inform active-duty servicemembers and veterans of matters relating to PTSD.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H66E40F4A94324171BB0600755F28182F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Annual meeting with stakeholders</header><text>The Council shall meet at least annually with stakeholder groups comprised of veterans, veterans service organizations, and family members of veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs mental health programs, and mental health associations.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H7D8B3F56F501494CA0F2824B6BCE9495"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>The Council shall prepare a report based on the reviews under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) to identify the necessary resources to create or enhance PTSD treatment capabilities. The report shall be made available to the Secretary of both Departments for comment. The Secretaries shall indicate recommendations in which they concur or disagree and include specific plans for implementation of any recommendations accepted. The report, with the comments and recommendations of the two Secretaries shall be submitted to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. The report shall include priority listing of sites which require investments according to the greatest perceived need for PTSD services.</text></subsection></section></chapter> <chapter id="H67C3F37908A544E4B600D141A736A933"><enum>5</enum><header>Capacity Building in Department of Veterans Affairs</header> <section id="HC8E99D4C6E2341C49F1520673DDFEC6E"><enum>161.</enum><header>Plan for expansion of Department of Veterans Affairs system to expand access to specialized PTSD care</header> <subsection id="H91F548529578403E83A476BF7346B53"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Development of plan</header><text>Based upon the report under section 152(b), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop a plan for the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand access to specialized PTSD care through—</text> <paragraph id="HE60E8F170ED043968E986D444BAAC62E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Readjustment Counseling Service centers operated under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1712A">section 1712A</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF9419AEC46734404A548DC07A363D054"><enum>(2)</enum><text>community-based outpatient clinics; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H97A8FE89D4404547BF7E00F619B75BF4"><enum>(3)</enum><text>telemedicine.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H51420868C72B4C258882586700337D00"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Inspector General investigation</header><text>The Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall investigate specialized programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in order to determine—</text> <paragraph id="HC1591F48AFA0410095E02D668E34B934"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the current workloads of those programs;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8C28C6A083D443AF8E128D5476F4FCCC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>staff associated with each of those programs;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF9A5F52B2F404411BCFF4E991CAAB544"><enum>(3)</enum><text>funds obligated for those programs; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H77B14BB17B8B466896DD469875E66367"><enum>(4)</enum><text>any waiting times associated with those programs.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H293B3841958741C9A691006315A01343"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>The Inspector General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the Inspector General’s findings under subsection (b), together with an assessment of the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to address such findings, along with recommendations for accommodating—</text> <paragraph id="HC2F3D231B47542C885E08E97975156D8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the current workload of the Department in specialized treatment program;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE7341FB714394DDF9F4DA822FB9FC4B6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>102 percent of the current workload of the Department; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9EF049A341564930A695E04DABE47C49"><enum>(3)</enum><text>110 percent of the current workload of the Department.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H5FAB7C570DB242D9A8B49FBEB76DF4A6"><enum>162.</enum><header>Additional Department of Veterans Affairs resources</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In order to improve access to mental health services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide the following:</text> <paragraph id="HD0BB7AC36CB042868400FF52FD1D969C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>100 additional full-time equivalent employees to Readjustment Counseling Service outstations.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H89C2A448FA674C4FB38ED1B73557E517"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A PTSD clinical team at every medical center of the Veterans Health Administration.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD1155A3804754081A6938C3F3C706702"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A family therapist at each Vet Center under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1712A">section 1712A</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2CB32903A310405EA4B3864CAAAEFA5D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A PTSD coordinator in each regional network referred to as a Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN ) whose duties shall include—</text> <subparagraph id="H698328F909674C539C2BCE86003E2BA2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>development of plans for meeting PTSD and other post-deployment mental health treatment needs consistent with the report under section 152(b);</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HAF0F65B27E994A07ABABC10ECFCC5BE"><enum>(B)</enum><text>assurance of implementation of clinical practice guidelines throughout the VISN;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H43C94EF6A6F9486A91EF1620B4FD9222"><enum>(C)</enum><text>liaison among all health-care sites in the VISN and the Department Central Office on matters relating to PTSD.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8DB4746ED9764FB0893184782FFABFD9"><enum>(5)</enum><text>A PTSD coordinator in each regional office of the Readjustment Counseling Service whose duties shall include liaison with regional office staff and medical centers for veterans seeking service-connection for PTSD.</text></paragraph></section></chapter> <chapter id="HE76D6676A5FE4305B5C820AFC635B800"><enum>6</enum><header>Family therapy</header> <section id="HC0FEEE5D1E924A3AB808695B3D972413"><enum>165.</enum><header>Eligibility for family counseling and bereavement counseling</header> <subsection id="HA4B00DD9C3F147B082FFB64F35EECF6F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Counseling for family members of veterans being treated for Service-Connected disabilities</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1782">Section 1782(a)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: <quote>In addition, the Secretary shall provide to an individual described in subsection (c) such professional counseling and mental health services as are necessary as a consequence of a disability of a veteran described in the preceding sentence. Counseling and mental health services under the preceding sentence shall be provided (if so requested by the individual) for a period of two years from the date on which the individual first receives such counseling or mental health services under the preceding sentence.</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H363FE39ED95E4DD1A36FA8DD869431C9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Bereavement counseling</header><text>Section 1783 of such title is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H4D8981B90AC845C28263618E1478EC63"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>may provide</quote> in subsections (a) and (b) and inserting <quote>shall, upon request, provide</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6C9BADF055274F7A88CF9F89A01415FD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block id="H654819712BD34D588FBCA2BC9E16F169"> <subsection id="HEDFD841C96E446C090EFA11B889900DD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Duration of counseling</header><text>Counseling under subsection (a) or with respect to the death of a veteran or under subsection (b) with respect to the death of a member who dies in the active military, naval, or air service shall be provided to an individual eligible for such counseling (if so requested by that individual) for a period of two years from the date on which the individual first receives counseling under this section with respect to that death.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section></chapter> <chapter id="H36DFFF6C308D4E73ADCBA823D8C69970"><enum>7</enum><header>Educational initiatives</header> <section id="H58A6373DB0604B3AA4F09C4080A5FF24"><enum>171.</enum><header>Training program for health-care providers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop a broad training program for all health-care providers in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to familiarize those providers with mental health-care issues that are likely to arise among persons deployed to combat theaters during the five years after such a deployment.</text></section> <section id="HD949F2C28B674E7E8263DD9EF1464C59"><enum>172.</enum><header>Curriculum and protocols for cross-training of Department of Veterans Affairs clinicians</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop a curriculum and required protocols for cross-training to allow the following clinicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs to screen for post-deployment mental health problems, including PTSD, and, as appropriate, provide information and appropriate referral to—</text> <paragraph id="HD17B83CBEB3F407B9F461B3B99088766"><enum>(1)</enum><text>primary care providers;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD42DB9CA5B3C45A091DF968780000098"><enum>(2)</enum><text>practitioners assigned as Gulf War points-of-contact; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6723296F83B44CEEB44EE934E00062FA"><enum>(3)</enum><text>clinicians assigned as case managers.</text></paragraph></section> <section id="HEDC9089E75F34ADA900459BFF037D833"><enum>173.</enum><header>Publication of state-of-the-art post-deployment mental health problems diagnosis and treatment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop a plan for the production and dissemination of publications to advise clinicians on state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and other mental health disorders experienced after deployment, including any medical conditions associated with such disorders.</text></section> <section id="HF598135F5D024A8EBF12DAF8FE4F75D"><enum>174.</enum><header>Protocols for pain management for PTSD and war-related pain</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop protocols for pain management for PTSD and war-related pain.</text></section> <section id="H761E6B3234CB451E908F9B76D64B98D3"><enum>175.</enum><header>Protocols for treatment of substance use disorders</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Defense shall develop appropriate substance use disorder treatment protocols for assistance in combat areas of operations and on return to the United States.</text></section> <section id="H918066FED2EC43CBB25681F2C7EE21FF"><enum>176.</enum><header>Protocols for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder</header> <subsection id="H154AE504925240A9919DDF33C12000F7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>The Congress finds as follows:</text> <paragraph id="HA978B50B45BC4E0693E8D34FDC4ED2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are often similar to those of traumatic brain injury and some neurological disorders.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF373803081DC4564B3A7EE2834BD00BB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Some veterans with PTSD have co-morbidities that may mask or compound the symptoms associated with PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCF9A166D8FC34C8882CDBD96E99197C9"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Correct diagnosis of PTSD and other disorders is critical to effective treatment of those disorders.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H0AB6379B76FD409FBA1C8F9BE01000E3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clinical practice guidelines</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop clinical practice guidelines to ensure that clinicians are able to effectively distinguish between diagnoses with similar symptoms that may manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder.</text></subsection></section></chapter> <chapter id="H257588BD86554455873E9270A8D09BF1"><enum>8</enum><header>National Steering Committee on PTSD Education</header> <section id="H18457E6CB49C4EC08737F7004C22E554"><enum>181.</enum><header>National Steering Committee</header> <subsection id="H1B1A48D1A2F7445AA5DF5CB235CD10DA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There is a National Steering Committee on PTSD Education, to be appointed by the joint council established under section 151. The committee shall be comprised of mental health and other health professionals and health educators involved in the care of veterans of a deployment to a theater of combat on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HBD7B6B3A271748058714051304218C44"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The committee shall review training protocols for health-care providers and plans for dissemination of educational materials to veterans, their families, and other relevant parties and shall identify the resources available to provide for those purposes.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H7E1A7B5F77264060BA8D00B56D467180"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Meetings</header><text>The committee shall meet at least once annually.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H8DFAA882494E498A9B98DCA1F83F87D"><enum>182.</enum><header>Funding support for National Center for PTSD</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the National Center for PTSD to assist in carrying out a joint educational initiative with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences the amount of $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2014.</text></section> <section id="H446E4BFF500647EF81F406C24F8896D4"><enum>183.</enum><header>Continuing education to mental health providers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The National Steering Committee established under section 181 shall provide continuing education to mental health providers in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.</text></section> <section id="H2E4D4522E6DC4821B0BBC951873F049C"><enum>184.</enum><header>Web-based curriculum to sponsor clinician training initiatives</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The National Steering Committee established under section 181 shall develop a Web-based curriculum to sponsor clinician training initiatives.</text></section></chapter> <chapter id="HBE1B3B38CF91435F990001906E00C5B5"><enum>9</enum><header>Benefits</header> <section id="H27DC789967934EDA94A6004000000475"><enum>191.</enum><header>Identification of deficiencies in PTSD disability examinations</header> <subsection id="HBE1F093DEB214A83BA53C86CC37C168D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Evaluation of adjudication of claims</header><text>The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the National Center for PTSD, shall obtain an evaluation of the quality and consistency of adjudication of claims for PTSD, including the adequacy of service-connected compensation examinations for rating purposes and the extent to which veterans who are service-connected for PTSD are actually employed and employable.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H5D7B000F761847FCAA017E9537552CE6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report that includes the following information and recommendations:</text> <paragraph id="H39B63B17EC294D5198F9D15F39E88E4C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The types of evidence sufficient to confirm combat experience for veterans filing claims for PTSD based on combat.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H17424E1B032B4270B8396FA9242018B7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The policies and procedures used to obtain confirmation of a stressor, including documentation of service in combat for claims based on PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBD67500BCF944E9DA51FEBA011132DFF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Based on a representative national sample, the number and percentage of veterans for each period of war whose claims for PTSD have been denied based upon the lack of a credible stressor.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF1AA627C079D4B9CABCFE9DFD63C1CF7"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Based on a representative national sample, the number and percentage of veterans for each period of war whose claims for PTSD have been denied based upon the lack of a diagnosis of PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H73DC77D7CB8846A2A38C22F16E4F7500"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Based on a representative national sample, the number and percentage of veterans for each period of war whose claims for PTSD have been granted and the rating which was initially awarded for that claim.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H604E32E281B646E4B5644CB5D369AF55"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The number of initial and subsequent claims and average time to process claims for PTSD which have been granted (including the rating assigned and any determination as to employability) and denied for each regional office for a consecutive six month period.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7AE79510E1AC4C7CB8C347C5A533FEDB"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The number and percentage of initial claims for PTSD selected from a representative national sample during a consecutive six month period which had a compensation and pension examination conducted in compliance with best practices for PTSD examinations.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC948E8D0058B4E949999EC77F8AC7287"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The number and percentage of examinations selected from a representative national sample during a consecutive six month period in which the compensation and pension examinations for PTSD were judged to be inadequate.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8B399F9ABB854D628D74F6685CD6FD5C"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The number and percentage of claims for PTSD selected from a representative national sample during that consecutive six month period for which the examination was returned as inadequate.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9DF96F08669C4930B463228512CFF052"><enum>(10)</enum><text>The maximum, minimum and average time based upon a representative national sample allocated for completion of an initial compensation and pension examination for PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF37DC67BE36746E0B26FA717A086D9B"><enum>(11)</enum><text>An assessment comparing the employment of veterans rated for psychiatric impairments with similar ratings based upon physical impairments including, the number of veterans in each sample who are employed on a full time or part time basis, the average time such veterans have been unemployed and a comparison of the amount of work lost from employment due to disability and the average earnings of veterans in each group.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA1A3291724C048BE006CC1DB5F4641F7"><enum>(12)</enum><text>Taking into account criteria such as the information in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), including its companion publication, the Selected Characteristics of Occupations Defined in the Revised Dictionary of Occupational Titles (SCO), published by the Department of Labor, examples of the types of employment that an average veteran rated at 30 percent, at 50 percent, and at 70 percent disabled for PTSD can be expected to obtain and retain.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H05B0ABB0B0384A04994F63BEC300FDB0"><enum>(13)</enum><text>The number of claims for PTSD appealed to the Board of Veterans Appeals during fiscal year 2005, including the specific issue appealed (service-connection, effective date, rating) and the results of such appeals (affirmed, denied, remanded, other disposition).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H41F61410923B4361904D03BFF01BFAFD"><enum>(14)</enum><text>Recommendations for improving the accuracy and consistency of PTSD examinations, claim development and decisions.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA02C122C8A84462BB8D7C6AB6FF531B1"><enum>(15)</enum><text>Barriers to successful employment for veterans who have been service-connected for PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H49DEE81BB1D744899964CC5092B81E53"><enum>(16)</enum><text>Recommendations for removing barriers to employment for veterans who have been service-connected for PTSD.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC79D9EBF750B4A62AFB10403018ACE9"><enum>(17)</enum><text>Recommendations for legislative changes which could improve the potential for vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons service-connected for PTSD.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H0DFCB7D2ABC14CCC966188C4E718543F"><enum>192.</enum><header>Criteria for determining medical conditions associated with PTSD</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop—</text> <paragraph id="H2606976966F44B45BA71DB6500558283"><enum>(1)</enum><text>criteria for determining those medical conditions that are as likely as not to be associated with PTSD; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF3CC18AE73624929BC3D420706D468DC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>standards for determining when secondary service-connection should be granted for those conditions.</text></paragraph></section></chapter> <chapter id="HB02FE732306D4A3E9614AED81F323D5C"><enum>10</enum><header>Public awareness</header> <section id="HB1224CAE621A4926BF9359F23754F765"><enum>195.</enum><header>Public awareness program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct an aggressive, comprehensive outreach program to enhance the awareness of veterans, and the public in general, of the symptoms of PTSD and of the services available for veterans with those symptoms. The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with such assistance as may be required for the purposes of such program. To the extent practicable, the program shall be conducted through the joint council established under section 151.</text></section> <section id="H5D6FEB6BA31447778B4CCFBD838B0037"><enum>196.</enum><header>Web site and materials for general campaign of awareness of PTSD</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">As part of the program under this title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and continually update a Web site and materials, including pamphlets, news releases, fact sheets, and other materials, for the purposes of a general campaign of awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder.</text></section></chapter></subtitle> <enum>II</enum><header>Disabled Veterans</header> <subtitle id="H4691D793B7474A53ADCF9379C6D2BEA3"><enum>A</enum><header>Payment Matters</header> <section id="HB71E00AD588943FD8270B82CFF67942E" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>201.</enum><header>Eligibility for payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation for certain additional military retirees with compensable service-connected disabilities</header> <subsection id="HD042FC509E9548949D1968352D35AF78"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Extension of concurrent receipt authority to retirees with service-connected disabilities rated less than 50 percent</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1414">Section 1414</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (2) of subsection (a). </text></subsection> <subsection id="H2EDF7406FF1C48BB8BB100B37F7298CE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Repeal of phase-in of concurrent receipt of retired pay and veterans' disability compensation</header><text>Such section is further amended—</text> <paragraph id="HE2740B5930FB41B18B96F624E4AFEAF5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a), by striking the final sentence of paragraph (1);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAD24EDC6E2714FB6A991E008F27DC00"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking subsection (c) and redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF8E9159FADD3421CACDCEFDE8482E4B"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (d) (as so redesignated), by striking subparagraph (4).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5EB49D74F7234E7FB8001988847FC6E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical amendments</header> <paragraph id="H6B13738D7CD14446A7FF9F05CE94360" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The heading for section 1414 of such title is amended to read as follows: </text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HF036471053E04652ACD1DA4EB62B2CA8" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <section id="HEA93DE087DD040EBBDC5DFEF8C95E54E"><enum>1414.</enum><header> Members eligible for retired pay who are also eligible for veterans’ disability compensation: concurrent payment of retired pay and disability compensation</header></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph> <paragraph id="H70CDD7D419E34EAEA75785C9E93FC2FA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The item relating to such section in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 71 of such title is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HC3FECC3D29B242A4AC25E4CF002D4789" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">1414. Members eligible for retired pay who are also eligible for veterans’ disability compensation: concurrent payment of retired pay and disability compensation.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HD4078BA32D284B2D99FA1CDBC75BB539"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall take effect as of January 1, 2006, and shall apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H55D13B1F3FC241AF91611F4776009E1D" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>202.</enum><header>Coordination of service eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt </header> <subsection id="H55B1908202E34A0BA6E4983BE93786E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Eligibility for TERA retirees</header><text>Subsection (c) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1413a">section 1413a</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>entitled to retired pay who—</quote> and all that follows and inserting </text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H226BECCBFC55489BA444F9C7A8C0859B" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">who—</text> <paragraph id="H504426843425478E94A0007756F9C64"><enum>(1)</enum><text>is entitled to retired pay, other than a member retired under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/61">chapter 61</external-xref> of this title with less than 20 years of service creditable under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1405">section 1405</external-xref> of this title and less than 20 years of service computed under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/12732">section 12732</external-xref> of this title; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD6447CF552EF40E08F5D1BEAEFCEC427"><enum>(2)</enum><text>has a combat-related disability</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H1FBBF7597EFC40E095A4002827A786FA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Amendments to standardize similar provisions</header> <paragraph id="H671BEC3E461A4697A7406FE02139C7F5" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The heading for paragraph (3) of section 1413a(b) of such title is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">rules</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">rule</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H21C0F8F7A13D466AAFB2BA21F9909087"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Specification of qualified retirees for concurrent receipt purposes</header><text>Subsection (a) of section 1414 of such title, as amended by section 2(a), is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="HC5F45D912153471B94201425391D3FA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>a member or</quote> and all that follows through <quote>retiree’)</quote> and inserting <quote>an individual who is a qualified retiree for any month</quote>;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H3E56BDE8F61C4C94996D854C79A49D39"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation</quote> after <quote>both</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H0E6AA0E4C96B458EB01FDAC485D8494B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block id="H9B99978C171148F190F657BC0030C5EF" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="HAC863349ADD44778A7E815B89007102"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Qualified retirees</header><text>For purposes of this section, a qualified retiree, with respect to any month, is a member or former member of the uniformed services who—</text> <subparagraph id="H61AE080BE4F74C5E85D2C71B0FCFDF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is entitled to retired pay, other than in the case of a member retired under chapter 61 of this title with less than 20 years of service creditable under section 1405 of this title and less than 20 years of service computed under section 12732 of this title; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2EE663B3238D4B0C9C5788415BDE9200"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is also entitled for that month to veterans’ disability compensation.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H67F0C9050A6A496CA0E8B69CAED316BC"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Standardization with crsc rule for chapter 61 retirees</header><text>Subsection (b) of section 1414 of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="HD11C9B8F6D1446559529D5FEA1E627B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Special rules</header-in-text></quote> in the subsection heading and all that follows through <quote>is subject to</quote> in paragraph (1) and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Special rule for chapter 61 disability retirees</header-in-text>.—In the case of a qualified retiree who is retired under chapter 61 of this title, the retired pay of the member is subject to</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2A3BDCDBB8874CECB477C5D1268A027"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H6D9DB628032C4152BE027E28B4B28FC9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall take effect as of January 1, 2006, and shall apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H63510F1171FE43DFBDB7ABF75866B2CC" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>203.</enum><header>Interim payments under certain veterans claims when decision is delayed following remand</header> <subsection id="H011EA9666796493A9501D8F042368F2D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header> <paragraph id="H1EF94E8DACAC48E98836CBA5D1CAE26F" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/53">Chapter 53</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block id="HB405863D2A7C458EBE214BF46B41E37" style="OLC"> <section id="H2ECE83F97AAE48D5BD3EFDEFE56804CB"><enum>5320.</enum><header>Interim benefits under certain remanded cases</header> <subsection id="HC109FA2629224A1D8313F5895B88857F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Interim benefits</header><text>When a claim for benefits under the jurisdiction of the Secretary is remanded by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims or by the Board for Veterans’ Appeals in a case involving a claim under chapters 11, 13 or 15 of this title and to which sections 5109B or 7112 of this title applies, if the Secretary does not make a decision on the matter within 180 days of the date of the remand decision, then until such matter is finally decided, the Secretary shall pay an interim benefit in the amount of $500 per month to each claimant under the claim. Such payments shall commence as of the first month beginning after the end of such 180-day period.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HEBC46235DBD34D81956C22767334FC52"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effect on interim benefit payments of final decision on claim</header><text>When a claim with respect to which interim benefits are being paid under subsection (b) is finally decided—</text> <paragraph id="H8661385A2331482B8E2DD7D009E51DD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>if the final decision is to award benefits, the amounts paid as interim benefits shall be considered to be an advance payment of benefits owed for any period before the date of such final decision (except that if the total amount of interim benefits paid is greater than the amount of retroactive benefits, the amount of the difference shall not be considered to be an overpayment for any purpose); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H07840927714E499DB91B8074DD55DD2E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>if the final decision is not to award benefits, the amounts paid as interim benefits shall not be considered to be an overpayment for any purpose.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD5A0B435861F49308784A87366A8FEAC" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</text> <quoted-block id="H245D7281B229417498A7DCC2076117AC" style="OLC"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">Sec. 5320. Interim benefits under certain remanded cases</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H04C133884AD44572BC24F283CB2991D3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/5320">Section 5320</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to any decision remanded by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H1AC30A1F82EC4216B4721C4798210620"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on measures the Secretary intends to take to expedite the processing of remanded claims for veterans benefits.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="HBC49F107896741A48E5BDFC99842B17E"><enum>B</enum><header>Outreach</header> <section id="H521CB24887C94198B0A7005E662CA0EF"><enum>211.</enum><header>Rescission of Department of Veterans Affairs memorandum</header> <subsection id="HABD6D5A0B6624E5884AD0733958CC800"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rescission of memorandum</header><text>The memorandum of the Department of Veterans Affairs dated July 18, 2002, from the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management with the subject <quote>Status of VHA Enrollment and Associated Issues</quote> is hereby rescinded. Marketing activities of directors of health service networks (known as <quote>Veterans Integrated Service Networks</quote>) of the Department of Veterans Affairs to enroll new veterans within their respective networks shall be carried out without regard to such memorandum.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H71DCFC365D3F43F8A70995443982CA93"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Funding limitation</header><text>No funds available to the Department of Veterans Affairs may be used to carry out the memorandum referred to in subsection (a) or otherwise to implement the policy contained in that memorandum.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H33F571EECECB4F5796044E6B8915685B"><enum>212.</enum><header>Outreach activities</header> <subsection id="H7D3B93152F334AFAAA6C49FF1BF8EF3B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Annual plan required</header><text>Subchapter II of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/77">chapter 77</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sections:</text> <quoted-block id="H8DFE38F7F831499B8D3C99D2F0F93166" style="USC"> <section id="H1E15D79CED02481CB3FABEE500387CD8"><enum>7728.</enum><header>Annual plan on outreach activities</header> <subsection id="HF803B39CD17E48B5977047946B00F3D1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Annual plan required</header><text>The Secretary shall prepare each year a plan for the outreach activities of the Department for the following year.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H5048E2E4970943D6AC728DFE39DCEDD9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>Each annual plan under subsection (a) shall include the following:</text> <paragraph id="H2F36D38B3F2E448DA56121089900D858"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Plans for efforts to identify veterans who are not enrolled or registered with the Department for benefits or services under the programs administered by the Secretary.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF4C4CE9EB5F54CD6A3BB16765E87F2D1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Plans for informing veterans and their dependents of modifications of the benefits and services under the programs administered by the Secretary, including eligibility for medical and nursing care and services.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H3F651E2D936F479E9B03132831D82762"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Coordination in development</header><text>In developing an annual plan under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the following:</text> <paragraph id="H42549107C7774C2699E03374E7D12F68"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Directors or other appropriate officials of organizations recognized by the Secretary under section 5902 of this title.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HABE751BA52EE4C8F9000981441D1F827"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Directors or other appropriate officials of State and local education and training programs.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HDF36675B10E54B0AA883B1263B2A767"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Administration on Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7A9346E68B4F462AB51F68DF7FD4167D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Representatives of nongovernmental organizations that carry out veterans outreach programs.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H66864AE444884FE4A2430580652C518F"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Representatives of State and local veterans employment organizations.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H75D7E702BC0F443EB95D262100F526F6"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Businesses and professional organizations.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA4E502F696B04F568DFF11556BBFA279"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Other individuals and organizations that assist veterans in adjusting to civilian life.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H18D2A27EF28E43EB8CF327DF59A6FE47"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Incorporation of assessment of previous annual plans</header><text>In developing an annual plan under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into account the lessons learned from the implementation of previous annual plans under that subsection and program evaluations from the Office of Policy, Planning, and Preparedness of the Department.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H552BC239034247FB002CDD47633887D4" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>7729.</enum><header>Outreach activities: coordination of activities within Department</header> <subsection id="HD5FCA1C2792F47969678760860005FAA"><enum>(a)</enum><text>The Secretary shall establish and maintain procedures for ensuring the effective coordination of the outreach activities of the Department between and among the following:</text> <paragraph id="H1F022117C78440DEAAFB21F265FD47C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Office of the Secretary.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H4B4EC0109E7A47D98FC4AADB13E73D6C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Office of Public Affairs.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7A9D67D76E48401C8BD44010223BCD6E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Veterans Health Administration.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H902F717233C6488DA31799099BD545C9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Veterans Benefits Administration.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCF0E3D8D31F04AAEB05E001D498680CA"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The National Cemetery Administration.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H13337B0CEA9B4BE88467FFF549B811F2"><enum>(b)</enum><text>The Secretary shall—</text> <paragraph id="HC6DC57B6D1F84CF3B94CFE62D5DCD682"><enum>(1)</enum><text>periodically review the procedures maintained under subsection (a) for the purpose of ensuring that such procedures meet the requirement in that subsection; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBE7ECBDEEFD04BF7B16B7C163CD8F3C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>make such modifications to such procedures as the Secretary considers appropriate in light of such review in order to better achieve that purpose.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H5F1C51E8FB2344EC97514830F25900E3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7727 the following new items:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H0D4A2CE60C9D4929950754EE513364FD" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">7728. Annual plan on outreach activities</toc-entry> <toc-entry level="section">7729. Outreach activities: coordination of activities within Department</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H446EA625505D43D38380EDB0E6FBEBA6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Initial Annual Plan</header><text>The first annual outreach activities plan under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7728">section 7728</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be prepared for the first year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H2F453B0360BD4FC1826592A7BEA3004B"><enum>213.</enum><header>Requirement for outreach efforts and dedicated staff at each regional office</header> <subsection id="HC949E0CDB93F45708E37004F6DD1E1D9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs historically have targeted certain specific populations for outreach efforts concerning benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Groups currently targeted for such outreach efforts and for which program outreach coordinators have been designated at each regional office of the Department of Veterans Affairs are the following:</text> <paragraph id="H1181765B8BB146AFBD3B2365F79EA6EE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Former prisoners of war.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H041E636F4B2C4591B1073B2F622BC1AD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Women veterans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HED411A4DE095495E935C883FDFB4BA2D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Minority veterans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF10018A93A9E4FB4BD8556289ED5C032"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Active duty personnel.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5F2101B3775C4C8200F24909C3811258"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Homeless veterans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAB8D0F55D8094DE99EDCBCE2229F405"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Elderly veterans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H72216DDAF2E74A579582F7224585B25"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Recently separated veterans.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H740B1AB22A1F463AB85C364C7DF02906"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligible dependent defined</header><text>Paragraph (2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7721">section 7721(b)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block id="H1CDA411B8F7E41A788044C2C2C213576" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="H124F7C05F5A64FA79FD1B490F6D969A2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term <term>eligible dependent</term> means a spouse, surviving spouse (whether or not remarried), child (regardless of age or marital status), or parent of a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H038C32493B2C41AF97C9B03D4EE73752" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Improved outreach program</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7727">Section 7727</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block id="HA5A4FC13F3C746A388E4C1834C63EF86" style="USC"> <section id="H317D934B2AE84CA991B175FA01146830"><enum>7727.</enum><header>Outreach for eligible dependents</header> <subsection id="H78E1A4DB29574518B42EE2613569B64"><enum>(a)</enum><text>In carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall ensure that the needs of eligible dependents are fully addressed.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H45AA44FED9314F6DB92463FAAE798450"><enum>(b)</enum> <paragraph id="H1CA737FDFA524AECAABE7E5D611C605C" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In order to carry out subsection (a), the Secretary shall assign such employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration as the Secretary considers appropriate to conduct outreach programs and provide outreach services for eligible dependents. In areas where the number of eligible dependents warrant doing so, the Secretary shall assign at least one employee in the Veterans Benefits Administration regional office to serve as a full-time coordinator of outreach programs and services for eligible dependents in that region.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF92D9875FB6C4E978DDB1927C229A4ED" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Responsibilities of employees assigned to outreach functions under paragraph (1) shall include providing eligible dependents with—</text> <subparagraph id="H9348BDE93B1B4D648B73CFAA03ADF265"><enum>(A)</enum><text>information about benefits under laws administered by the Secretary; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7B4572A658C94BA396FC9078E42F1B3B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>contacting responsible regional office employees to facilitate—</text> <clause id="H7F1D3542211C456CB1D3496C89A13E10"><enum>(i)</enum><text>assistance in claims preparation and inquiry resolution; and</text></clause> <clause id="H3C667B8ACFC74365BC394E4162E17FF3"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the case of a dependent of a deceased veteran for whom necessary records are incomplete, assistance in obtaining such records and other necessary information concerning the veteran.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H622EAF5BB83E4A40A6578223E281F2D3"><enum>(c)</enum> <paragraph id="HF60273B36619475400A6598FC2C974FE" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Information provided an eligible dependent under this section shall include information on how to apply for benefits for which the dependent may be eligible, including information about assistance available under subsection (b) and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7722">section 7722(d)</external-xref> of this title.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8450C088F74A4FC6004E4EFB6AB7788" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In the case of eligible dependents who are members of distinct beneficiary populations (such as survivors of deceased veterans), the Secretary shall ensure that information provided under this section includes specific information about benefits relating to that population.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H80AB5CF9225443FDA4F14ED6E9BE372D"><enum>(d)</enum><text>For any geographic area in which there is a significant population of eligible dependents whose primary language is a language other than English, the Secretary shall make information provided under this subsection available to those dependents in the dominant language in that area (in addition to English).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H388E81C38979475584F31DA69FD3C974"><enum>(e)</enum><text>Outreach services and assistance shall be provided for eligible dependents through the same means that are used for other specially targeted groups.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H32DD0A0DDD1E4557953CD59C35E8DEED"><enum>(f)</enum><text>The Secretary shall ensure that the availability of outreach services and assistance for eligible dependents under this subchapter is made known through a variety of means, including the Internet, correspondence of the Department, announcements in veterans publications, announcements to the media, telephone directories, direct correspondence to congressional offices, military bases, public affairs offices, military retiree affairs offices, and United States embassies.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H25E0859BCEDA4316B521CAE5D7015B40"><enum>(g)</enum><text>The Secretary shall support the Department’s periodic evaluation under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/527">section 527</external-xref> of this title concerning the Department’s efforts to address the needs of eligible dependents.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H1C67867850DE4459BFDC9C73D3710000"><enum>(h)</enum><text>The Secretary shall include in the Secretary’s annual report under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/529">section 529</external-xref> of this title an assessment of the programs of the Department addressing the information and assistance needs of veterans and eligible dependents. The Secretary shall include in each such report the following:</text> <paragraph id="HB4828F5765DA466A9617A2DF9B4E163B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Information about expenditures, costs, and workload under the program of the Department directed towards the information and assistance needs of veterans and eligible dependents.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H006CAF360932461F9791F6EBAF61124B"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Information about outreach efforts directed toward veterans and eligible dependents.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5F97CA96829F4D1CBDE94500FE80222B"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Information about emerging needs within the program that relate to other provisions of law, including <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/7725">section 7725</external-xref> of this title with respect to language needs of veterans and eligible dependents.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7A3452B18B484BABA08021C1F428113"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Information as to the timeline for implementation of improvements to meet existing and emerging needs of veterans and eligible dependents in addition to those specified in this section.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section></subtitle> <enum>III</enum><header>Survivors and Dependents</header> <section id="H480CF72AC87E4C86BB24D036A4FD0086"><enum>301.</enum><header>Repeal of dependency and indemnity compensation offset from survivor benefit plan surviving spouse annuities</header> <subsection id="HB3A13CDDEC394D89851EAFFCC04C0010"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Repeal</header><text>Subsections (c), (e), and (k) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1450">section 1450</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, and subsection (c)(2) of section 1451 of such title are repealed.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H9181C9B574904DD9AD68D97FB9C05F3D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by subsection (a)—</text> <paragraph id="HC6B2EEE5D0274296BEB289D9B49C41F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall take effect on the later of October 1, 2005, or the date of the enactment of this Act; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEB6A539B69964F1FA630AFC0E78EC66F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>shall apply with respect to payment of annuities under subchapter II of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/73">chapter 73</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, for months beginning on or after that date.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H3C445632C565422CAE52F775BEC81901"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Recoupment of certain amounts previously refunded to SBP recipients</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H6780A1F9D3A44C65841BB584D6277214"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A surviving spouse who is in receipt of an SBP annuity that is in effect before the date specified in subsection (b) and that is adjusted by reason of the amendments made by subsection (a) and who had previously received an SBP retired pay refund shall repay an amount determined under paragraph (2). Any such repayment shall be made in the same manner as a repayment under subsection (k)(2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1450">section 1450</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="subsection" id="H38427879EFB942E2AA97AB06C145FA51"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The amount of a repayment under paragraph (1) shall be the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of that refund as the surviving spouse’s life expectancy (determined in accordance with standard actuarial practices) bears to the anticipated total duration of the annuity (determined as the sum of such life expectancy and the duration of the annuity already received).</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="subsection" id="H82948F503D7A4B9C8BF258E698F36E8F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>In this subsection:</text> <subparagraph indent="paragraph" id="H0388741584F846229B513945F8E7580"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The term <term>SBP annuity</term> means an annuity under the program established under subchapter II of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/73">chapter 73</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="paragraph" id="H9F0EC11E6C3B4D8D9B8B4C6CAE71B71B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The term <term>SBP retired pay refund</term> means a refund under subsection (e) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1450">section 1450</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, as in effect before the date specified in subsection (b).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section> <section section-type="subsequent-section" id="H569BF9F8CC104EE5A5DCC020261D74EA" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>302.</enum><header>Increase in monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to a surviving spouse for so long as there are minor children</header> <subsection id="H2023C6D95AB94D5192C17D0024F086C9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Increase in DIC</header><text>Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1311">section 1311</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>$250, plus</quote> after <quote>shall be increased by</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC0B7B1B8CF614AC500FB051F1D02885C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming repeal of Two-Year limitation</header><text>Subsection (e) of such section is repealed.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H90770A461FCA4352B24B3B1CF2B6F79E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect with respect to payments of dependency and indemnity compensation under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1311">section 1311</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, for the first month beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <enum>IV</enum><header>Additional Support for Active Duty Servicemembers</header> <section id="HC959F8812E2A4E16A13B00E68112DF4E"><enum>401.</enum><header>One-time bonus for certain service in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom</header> <subsection id="HE6D77E1D9EB244DC9D1010CB81D4A2CD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Army, navy, air force, and Marine Corps</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall provide for the payment of a bonus under this section to each member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who, at any time during the service of the member in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, satisfied or satisfies the eligibility criteria for receipt of special pay under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/310">section 310</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, for duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H10F019294B424BC0ADD9CF2621F3DC8B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Coast Guard</header><text>The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for the payment of a bonus under this section to each member of the Coast Guard who, at any time during the service of the member in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, satisfied or satisfies the eligibility criteria for receipt of special pay under such section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H4EF8F797EAFE4B23B6DA6C9947003744"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Amount of bonus</header><text>The amount of the bonus paid under this section shall be equal to $1,000.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HFCA1526335E44C72913F367500FF06D3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Entitlement limited to single bonus payment</header><text>A member may not receive more than one bonus under the authority of this section.</text></subsection></section> <section id="HB1DE2E89F50D4DABB7541F8E2C417500"><enum>402.</enum><header>Increase in active-duty end-strength levels for the Armed Forces</header> <subsection id="HA345690397B5490DBC724908EF86D2B3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2006, as follows:</text> <paragraph id="H39E8762CB1AE42249D102D6D97DDAEBC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Army, 512,400.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H32F1F54160384DBEAFC1DDC8F71E7530"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Navy, 365,900.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H55443C275E8E4F4286ED06AAE49129B0"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Marine Corps, 180,000.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5315729E71FD4211B6B132238363D112"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Air Force, 359,700.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H650ABB06BA9C4BFA8B7E5FDCE76C775B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Revision in permanent active duty end strength minimum levels</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/691">Section 691(b)</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (4) and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block id="HBBC53C7730B0445B904355FC30B0397B"> <paragraph id="H6AC4DA7B3DD7465C9FEC6878A73BD400"><enum>(1)</enum><text>For the Army, 512,400.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC5F46067CC8A4715A37F86FE9E46DA44"><enum>(2)</enum><text>For the Navy, 365,900.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H430B5A3F87DC4DE68458D02B94622900"><enum>(3)</enum><text>For the Marine Corps, 180,000.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB29B1ADF736A4ED2B5B0EE00CCD6F53D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>For the Air Force, 359,700.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section> <section id="HDEEAE57DF3C9441D925C4BEAE84DA006" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>403.</enum><header>Additional fiscal year 2006 pay increase for middle- and senior-level enlisted members and warrant officers</header> <subsection id="H7F09ED4410E94B76AE4B1814E001BB3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Targeted pay increase</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Defense shall increase the rates of monthly basic pay for enlisted members of the Armed Forces in the pay grades E–5 through E–9 and all warrant officers of the Armed Forces as necessary to ensure that, by the end of fiscal year 2006, the compensation received by such enlisted members and warrant officers is equal to not less than 80 percent of the compensation for persons in the private sector with comparable educational levels and experience, as determined by the Secretary.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HB4E0B63CEB0D43099B5C441770A6FB7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Relation to other pay increases</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The pay increase required by subsection (a) shall be in addition to any other adjustment to become effective during fiscal year 2006 in the rates of monthly basic pay authorized members of the Armed Forces, whether made pursuant to <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/1009">section 1009</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, or a law authorizing appropriations for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2006.</text></subsection></section> <enum>V</enum><header>Education, Employment and Compensation</header> <subtitle id="H1D7B19930CA2420AA2EFDA327C90FFD7"><enum>A</enum><header>Active Duty Montgomery GI Bill</header> <section id="H12A8EAAFA01D4B18B71C87BD7249D114"><enum>501.</enum><header>Enhanced benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill for four years of active-duty service</header> <subsection id="H65374D0622714DD28016B9E2F3C0175B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/30">Chapter 30</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H0F7E9A29A50E45C294C9F879D98FAEF5"> <subchapter id="H1E8C4477C5B44951ABD382F35F75A800"><enum>V</enum><header>Enhanced educational assistance</header> <section id="H29FF08DDDD504F320000E8BB4873547C"><enum>3041.</enum><header>Enhanced educational assistance entitlement</header> <subsection id="H256C9620814C47B083F862E55C8815F2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Entitlement</header><text>An eligible individual is entitled to enhanced educational assistance under this subchapter.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H3682EF92A431408F9DC99BCE2F2ED088"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligible individual defined</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H06520182496F4279BA84BACB42E608FE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>For purposes of this subchapter, the term <term>eligible individual</term> means an individual who meets the service requirement described in subsection (c) and whose status after completion of such service is described in section 3011(a)(3) of this title (relating to continuation on active duty, honorable discharge, or honorable service, as the case may be).</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HF22647F457D743CEBC24FFCDE09D005E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Such term does not include an individual described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 3011(c) of this title (relating to individuals not electing basic educational assistance under subchapter II of this chapter or certain commissioned officers, respectively).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HCF6C0546405C42848C023F8332B6E3F4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Service requirement</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H91BC4674EB45494EACABCAD7B1255FB3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The service requirement referred to in subsection (b) is as follows:</text> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HEAB6D81A648746BA93DE2DE46518E2BD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>After September 30, 2005, the individual—</text> <clause id="HA398C8406D6D426398EEE9E6F013877"><enum>(i)</enum><text>first enters on active duty;</text></clause> <clause id="H50F01D3CBE7E42F09374D11CC557E5E8"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>reenlists or extends an enlistment on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces; or</text></clause> <clause id="H4F9FAA368B8A4C0EB0C09296EE2710"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in the case of an officer, continues to serve on active duty after that date.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HEBF46B579B114304B496EE6998EB96B8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>From the date of such entry, reenlistment, extension, or continuation, as the case may be, the individual—</text> <clause id="H37E6143925C0403D940062F756786800"><enum>(i)</enum><text>serves a continuous period of active duty of at least four years in the Armed Forces; or</text></clause> <clause id="HE6619750EDF4400D83D82DAFA7B318D1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>serves on active duty in the Armed Forces and is discharged or released from active duty—</text> <subclause id="HC8567545BFF54EF6892453DA6CB85018"><enum>(I)</enum><text>as provided in subclause (I) of section 3011(a)(1)(A)(ii) of this title (relating to service-connected disabilities and other medical conditions);</text></subclause> <subclause id="H37545202AC0C4987919BA559A77000C3"><enum>(II)</enum><text>for the convenience of the Government, after having completed not less than 42 months of continuous active duty; or</text></subclause> <subclause id="H719A9C444A624163874EAEFC735B88D7"><enum>(III)</enum><text>as provided in subclause (III) of section 3011(a)(1)(A)(ii) of this title (relating to involuntary discharge or release for the convenience of the Government as a result of a reduction in force).</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H0C4724CAF42941D28000F51A7916EFC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In determining service under paragraph (1), the following rules apply:</text> <subparagraph id="HDF2A436A706A4AC69D2F5000F28FA46D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Any period of service described in paragraph (2) or (3) of section 3011(d) of this title (relating to periods of service terminated because of a defective enlistment and periods of service on active duty which individuals in the Selected Reserve were ordered to perform under certain provisions of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/1209">chapter 1209</external-xref> of title 10, respectively) that applies to an eligible individual under this section shall not be considered a part of the individual’s period of active duty.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE5A5B81412234875A7B611E48BEC671"><enum>(B)</enum><text>A member described in paragraph (2) of section 3011(f) of this title (relating to certain members discharged or released who subsequently reenlist or re-enter on a period of active duty) who serves the periods of active duty referred to in such paragraph shall be deemed to have served a continuous period of active duty the length of which is the aggregate length of the periods of active duty referred to in such paragraph.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H946F8FE3E09C4EE28324169748DCE25B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Subsections (g) and (h) of section 3011 of this title (relating to assignment full time at a civilian institution for courses of education and to commencement of courses of education at a service academy, respectively) apply with respect to an eligible individual under this section in the same manner as they apply to an individual under section 3011 of this title.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5986AE397B0F44DF90EC39E4AF5B9856"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Election of basic educational assistance</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD92B0202B10B46CE9F70E64F061EFEB0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An eligible individual entitled to enhanced educational assistance under this subchapter may elect (in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary) to receive basic educational assistance under subchapter II in lieu of such enhanced educational assistance for an enrollment period. Such an election shall be made by not later than 30 days before the beginning of the enrollment period.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H5E8673E033A44561B6914D2F0218EF94"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An eligible individual may revoke an election made pursuant to paragraph (1), but in no case may such revocation be made later than 30 days before the beginning of the enrollment period.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H9F209C7FA126405082322416F179D231"><enum>3042.</enum><header>Duration of enhanced educational assistance</header> <subsection id="HF57B4A851AAC4CE09E6C0713E72F913D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to section 3695 of this title and except as provided in subsection (b), each individual entitled to enhanced educational assistance under section 3041 of this title is entitled to a monthly enhanced educational assistance allowance under this subchapter for a period or periods not to exceed a total of 36 months (or the equivalent thereof in part-time enhanced educational assistance).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H63E22D4F756D406BA35B6EE10180A1DC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Special rule for certain early separations</header><text>Subject to section 3695 of this title, in the case of an individual described in subclause (I) or (III) of section 3041(c)(1)(B)(ii) of this title (relating to individuals discharged for service-connected disabilities or medical conditions or whose service is involuntarily terminated for the convenience of the Government as a result of a reduction in force, respectively) who does not serve a continuous period of active duty of at least four years in the Armed Forces (as described in section 3041(c)(1)(B)(i) of this title), the individual is entitled to one month of enhanced educational assistance benefits under this subchapter (not to exceed a total of 36 months (or the equivalent thereof in part-time enhanced educational assistance)) for each month of continuous active duty served by the individual beginning with the date on which the entry on active duty, reenlistment, enlistment extension, or continuation applicable to that individual under section 3041(c)(1)(A) of this title begins.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H209C905F3CAB4B969DACF929265C8E65"><enum>3043.</enum><header>Payment of educational expenses</header> <subsection id="H43B5C313B94245D4889BDB6C2BA01C7F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H349F73D99741448E8000D32002279DC8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall pay to the educational institution providing a course under an approved program of education to an eligible individual under this subchapter who is enrolled in the course the actual cost of tuition and fees otherwise payable by the individual.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H343CAB92963C42A4AA3F9FF326ADFDD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Such cost may not exceed the amount charged to nonveterans in similar circumstances.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HFDACE6D3E04C43F9A1835F1BE671E9D8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Stipend; costs of books and supplies</header><text>The Secretary shall pay to each eligible individual under this subchapter who is pursuing an approved program of education—</text> <paragraph id="HD63F93AF91D443D8970002444041616C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a stipend as provided in section 3044 of this title; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3A81BE19CB3244A981B61D6F65906243"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, an amount equal to the average cost, for the year involved, of books and supplies payable by individuals pursuing courses of education at educational institutions.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="HB45AF64AD59F4B5BA9F2227408239685"><enum>3044.</enum><header>Amount of stipend</header> <subsection id="HAE555FCF8F42421B9769E1E434D1EF4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in section 3042 of this title, the stipend under this subchapter shall be paid at a monthly rate (as that rate may be increased pursuant to subsection (b)) as follows:</text> <paragraph id="H2D7C880B5CC748B4B3DB33BEDCF79FBD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>At the monthly rate of $900 for an approved program of education pursued on a full-time basis.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1EEC23C6866A4DF09E40FD2B7D67B1D3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>At the monthly rate of $700 for an approved program of education pursued on a three-quarter-time basis.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC39B5BFEB0E74C3493F2F900DE00501C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>At the monthly rate of $500 for an approved program of education pursued on a half-time basis.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H93831A72CECA4FBDB47F5B8CFB005E3F"><enum>(4)</enum><text>At the monthly rate of $300 for an approved program of education pursued on less than a half-time basis.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H418DCB5891EB4B95A7004D7BAEE00A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Adjustment for inflation</header><text>With respect to any fiscal year beginning after fiscal year 2006, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the rates payable under subsection (a) equal to the percentage by which—</text> <paragraph id="H656ED8200F5B43308D2586E7BB01D133"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States city average) for the 12–month period ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB950760A0EFD40A9AA4E9BB61050A2BD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>such Consumer Price Index for the 12–month period preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></subsection></section></subchapter><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H3DC2088A20A545F9A8F40975D498ADDD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HB61053A7841743D0A95D606556883354"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Section 3002 of such title is amended by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block id="H1CBDA9B6C0FC4C24ABD2FB59189DA24C"> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HBEE18342E6E1446794D774CA4800C63B"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The term <term>enhanced educational assistance</term> means educational assistance provided under subchapter V.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H7F680BA9D5E54E7A9BE46F87955ED087"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 3011 of such title is amended in subsection (f)(1) and (g) by striking <quote>chapter</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>subchapter</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HCFCE471B66764E13B5BA32FB5982F44E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 3018A(a) of such title is amended by striking <quote>education assistance under this chapter</quote> and inserting <quote>educational assistance under this subchapter</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HC8EA57185DFC463DB8C2787FDC4B6B4D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Section 3018B of such title is amended by striking <quote>education assistance under this chapter</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>educational assistance under this subchapter</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HEB8DF186032245A2935D4C22B20733EB"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Section 3018C of such title is amended by striking <quote>educational assistance under this chapter</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>educational assistance under this subchapter</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HBEF64C1335344D929B3B7B50A700F8C"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Section 3019 of such title is amended by striking <quote>chapter</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>subchapter</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HD8F8DB0FF63E485DBEAF7160AEB87E4D"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Section 3032(e)(3) of such title is amended by inserting <quote>, or section 3044(a)(1)</quote> after <quote>section 3015</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HEEE09E0FA1A6416F007E7B87829F8640"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/30">chapter 30</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new items:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HE13FE45F94554119AD531253F00332A4"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="subchapter">Subchapter V—Enhanced educational assistance</toc-entry> <toc-entry level="section">3041. Enhanced educational assistance entitlement</toc-entry> <toc-entry level="section">3042. Duration of enhanced educational assistance</toc-entry> <toc-entry level="section">3043. Payment of educational expenses</toc-entry> <toc-entry level="section">3044. Amount of stipend</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section> <section id="H2CA8CF31AFD54BCC92C891839515EB6"><enum>502.</enum><header>Increase in rates of basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill</header> <subsection id="H6C33A7D5EE204172BAE2950065FB9C50"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rates for basic educational assistance</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3015">Section 3015</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H5BCE2D06B1BF4D85A4C1E52336C8EB0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(1)—</text> <subparagraph id="H295C4B95AFE24F428DAC45CEF6AEED32"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HDBB4E4D7B0E34A8A855C21DEEAFB893C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (F); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC64D75D5005D4F0999F1AB810511895F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraphs:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HE30E5D494F7C4B4A9C541CADB203E72" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subparagraph id="HA7D96C71439342279CE56077282EAEA3" indent="up1"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for months occurring during fiscal year 2005, $1,004;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H235A461BAE23451A9534B290D6591D48" indent="up1"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for months occurring during fiscal year 2006, $1,300; and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HD5E75F9D765A437B8487F7362DD3B60" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(1)—</text> <subparagraph id="H1CD433EBD2A642E094C83124AEA3DC43"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6F6FF9915E82481FB1C900BB055F687C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (F); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H23BDBFEEA8A442BC846E78E9D8C6003B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraphs:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H2E966C3C3629483998BEF41AA99FBA" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subparagraph id="HAE9B9284C1FC4ACB8155B13FB0C285A7" indent="up1"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for months occurring during fiscal year 2005, $816;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE3BAAEFC0E7B4452A3811606DC0092BD" indent="up1"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for months occurring during fiscal year 2006, $1,000; and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HFC05E82F3DE4417F8FCCFC18F4F00056"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application of index based on costs of higher learning</header><text>Section 3015(h) of such title is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block id="HE24A5EE8C47A47B298004B2827D758FE"> <subsection id="H0626FFDA6D4449268C602C6432ACB5E3"><enum>(h)</enum> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H42775EE4C86F46BF9B483DC3D26105B6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the rates payable under subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) equal to the percentage (as determined by the Secretary) by which—</text> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="H1BF42C843345450E974FDF0070D67B48"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the average monthly costs of tuition and expenses for commuter students at public institutions of higher learning that award baccalaureate degrees for purposes of subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) for the fiscal year involved, exceeds</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="H915A8857BB4C4D23BE4BCEC995F99A5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>such average monthly costs for the preceding fiscal year.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HCB8123C3E07C4E08B00052F5C0CC3EF6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary shall make the determination under paragraph (1) after consultation with the Secretary of Education.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H28C251D44917477DAB3C8CD73E016DB5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A determination made under paragraph (1) 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.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H82EF89D31EBC473E00EE2C66D55C4164"><enum>(4)</enum><text>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 paragraph (1) in that year.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HD817A58AD3674247AF79185CEF2D064E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective dates</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H8B59A90FC42A423CAB4F0089EC63BC28"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to payments for months beginning after September 30, 2005.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HFD0EA7DAD534424BB25CCA76A700F901"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The amendment made by subsection (b) shall apply with respect to payments for months beginning after September 30, 2006. No adjustment in rates of educational assistance shall be made under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3015">section 3015(h)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, for months occurring during fiscal year 2006.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H4F4306937C5B4416B743FA067FB7700"><enum>503.</enum><header>Repeal of pay reduction and high school graduation requirement for participation in basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill</header> <subsection id="H052A26DCFB1F4001856E26668B3792C2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Repeal of pay reduction and election of benefits</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H4280F216E5DE49E7889D52FC507D57D9"><enum>(1)</enum><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3011">Section 3011</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="H8866E1F5B86F4181A3E0E9A115C6DB50"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking subsection (b); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HD889FE7F68F04B5C0029E06279A8698F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H6FB60A17005D4ECC94DC1289F7C8565C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 3012 of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="HB1F3D83576444093BBAC8C4460AB2D7E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking subsection (c); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7B8DC4FBFB27471783E22E7C458DF764"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H8CEED0BA1B5749F2B4B1467FC7B6CBAB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 3016(a)(1) of such title is amended by striking <quote>, and does not make an election under section 3011(c)(1) or section 3012(d)(1)</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H4AC1C34A98EC4C70903BC0653250000"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on October 1, 2005, and apply to individuals whose initial obligated period of active duty under section <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3011">3011</external-xref> or <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3012">3012</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, as the case may be, begins on or after such date.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H8FFEBB4A205A46F7BC95605855859585"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Any reduction in the basic pay of an individual referred to in subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3011">section 3011</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, by reason of such subsection, or of any individual referred to in subsection (c) of section 3012 of such title by reason of such subsection, shall cease commencing with months beginning after September 30, 2005, and any obligation of such individual under such subsections, as the case may be, as of September 30, 2005, shall be deemed to be fully satisfied as of such date.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HB21833A6F1BB418A0017C7F58858E805"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Repeal of high school graduation requirement</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H50655BB3073E48A7A6CD1570002BB74C"><enum>(1)</enum><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3011">Section 3011(a)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="H0F29543C53574EE18D111F5FE216004B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (2); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HEF4E90ACB63C4DD3A844AA0304659DE"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H9385A6D4192C4CC49EB462B999859E7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 3012(a) of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="H4E7796589E02431F9B925C26D617544"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (2); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA9E4A15DA200432C835C3786DB424DE4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HE062B212F9C24359BAEDF17E8E053348"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 3018(b) of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="H6C617F5D694945A1A300008F002D627B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (4);</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H69AA6A673C0E4CD08DBBF4C687F7131"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>and</quote> at the end of paragraph (3)(C); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H4848F4B77F05435B9F46D5AEE1F696C1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="HA7ADF8BAA1E84EF08462F800D2F8009D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply with respect to individuals applying for basic educational assistance under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/30">chapter 30</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, on or after such date.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HDD35E10E77504A45A3F8EC85C2EA2C9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exclusion from income for eligibility determinations for Federal educational loans</header><text>Section 3015 of such title is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H56D595CC34304AFB910738B6963F0214"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (h), as amended in section 3(b), as subsection (i); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H69155A667158401D00AE3E53ED212FE6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block id="HC3E6AF445A3F43FCA00145768100C8E0"> <subsection id="H8546D5B17E5F46AF8BB62BC303DA6B1B"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Exclusion from income for eligibility determinations for Federal educational loans</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts payable by the Secretary under this subchapter with respect to an eligible individual shall not be considered as income for purposes of determining eligibility of such individual for education grants or loans under any other provision of Federal law.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="HB82CC01AF22D47079500389500D4474E"><enum>504.</enum><header>Repeal of delimiting date for use of entitlement to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill</header> <subsection id="HB8D07F733D5F434F00BFB97B6FD73BA5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Repeal</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3031">Section 3031</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/16133">section 16133</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, are repealed.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC1B650EB38014B5B94272C3F50C9B836"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header> <paragraph id="H3423C619281145F68252194C82D308BD" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Section 3018C(e)(3)(B) of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="HD5CB3D986E4944219CCC52D954E1F9E9" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking clause (ii); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H291FEBA7D64D4BCE895976D4D9444BF" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(B)(i)</quote> and inserting <quote>(B)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0363F072BC82442C92D803933E31A44B" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 3020 of such title is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="H90A723BC593F46179DB4CDD7DCABF613"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (f)(1), by striking <quote>Subject to the time limitation for use of entitlement under section 3031 of this title, an</quote> and inserting <quote>An</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA72DF18ACAC8498E90A4BAEFB97DDCE3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (h)(5), by striking <quote>Notwithstanding section 3031 of this title, a</quote> and inserting <quote>A</quote>. </text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6EC6B2D53F82439D82751BD4B7A428F" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/16164">Section 16164</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is repealed.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H2C639FBF10FB4CA690811CE42910C888"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to individuals entitled to educational assistance under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/30">chapter 30</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H5E5ED5F1986248769430D4B80000FA17"><enum>505.</enum><header>Elimination of limitation to critical military skills for authority to transfer entitlement</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3020">section 3020</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H0D3BA91352D946AAB0C664AAB4092FA8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (2);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA2F5219192F6461BB9E88E24A8B2A500"><enum>(2)</enum><text>be redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5510B2816ABA4327B9F18D1C16B468E5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>and</quote> at the end of paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></section> <section id="H907B41BE0A2442B0B304F05738E34BED"><enum>506.</enum><header>Increase in repayment amounts under the student loan repayment programs for servicemembers</header> <subsection id="H2EFBC0CC75C049B0A82700C479E2C9E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Active duty</header><text>Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/2171">section 2171</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HC61726DBF2FD4F71A8E7208505BBBE7E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>is 33 1/3 percent or $1,500, whichever is greater,</quote> and inserting <quote>is $6,000</quote>; </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H417C6B95B0FE46BDABE000485BDC203D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(1)</quote> after <quote>(b)</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAB999789D1DB4F8285E28D4900842D3D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HD38B9160829F4896BE45BD93049F579" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="H5859A2F7815B43A780CA690083C136A1" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The total amount that may be repaid on behalf of any person under this section may not exceed $40,000.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H4BB0C831CB344324AD7C5530B040332E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Selected reserve</header><text>Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/16301">section 16301</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H02585F7A0BB74A18976CADA336003BCE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>is 15 percent or $500, whichever is greater,</quote> and inserting <quote>is $3,000</quote>; </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H02FC7002F7984CAEBD2EF710574028CD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(1)</quote> after <quote>(b)</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE1985EF8940A401284BD01E1819F30B7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HDF7D9FF6CF044F679CE2164D25AFD800" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="H3BF5FBA3F04B4733AAC8AADC08BF6287" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The total amount that may be repaid on behalf of any person under this section may not exceed $20,000.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H648CE56796C449C2978F494FCAAF8B97"><enum>507.</enum><header>Expansion of programs of education eligible for accelerated payments of educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill</header> <subsection id="HFC34532A48AA46A59E5714CD23032EE1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (b)(1) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3014A">section 3014A</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>that leads to employment in a high technology occupation in a high technology industry (as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary)</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H2F15C3ADA1CF45D78C01941495B3BBC9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header> <paragraph id="H6240D7E3DB9746A390AB3DBB094E3859" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The heading of section 3014A of such title is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H94B10DC6F79D46AA8EE0E24224A0BD8F" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <section id="H4890A1C4EF6A477EA2DE9EEE37AC621B"><enum>3014A.</enum><header>Accelerated payment of basic educational assistance for certain approved programs of education</header></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph> <paragraph id="H070E719EC5FC4E06ACDC2B005558E29D" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 30 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 3014A and inserting after the item relating to section 3014 the following new item:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H46D46047AC274A09A5F9A387270011F6" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">3014A. Accelerated payment of basic educational assistance for certain approved programs of education</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H13AB47C257FC46699226BD3BCF8D84D4"><enum>B</enum><header>Reserve Montgomery GI Bill</header> <section id="HBE5F62291BD14D0AB397A598B0E269E2" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>511.</enum><header>Educational assistance under Montgomery GI Bill for members of the Selected Reserve who aggregate more than 2 years of active duty service during any 5-year period</header> <subsection id="H32CB0B0C1E7D404CA06B958437E920EB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Entitlement</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3012">Section 3012(a)(1)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HA273518CFFEE44F2A45B6E48FADB807E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8AF736AE782743E78556806936AD393"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by adding <quote>or</quote> at the end; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF5C0FB9D9833448187B639E8874CE500"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph (D):</text> <quoted-block id="H82DA86448E81446FAB52B14747EEE6A6"> <subparagraph id="H1F645A3BBFD042BF81FB008FDA22BC4D"><enum>(D)</enum><text>while in the Selected Reserve—</text> <clause id="HEB8DBC5F1D164D5686D8EAD36C679B29"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is first ordered to serve on active duty in the Armed Forces under section 12301(a), 12301(d), 12301(g), 12302, or 12304 of title 10, during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending December 31, 2006; and</text></clause> <clause id="HA52C61DE6D6247E3A5E3D3C92EFF9F5C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>serves on active duty in the Armed Forces for one or more periods (whether continuous or otherwise) aggregating not less than two years of service on active duty during a five-year period beginning on the date the individual is first ordered to serve on active duty during the period referred to in clause (i);</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HB486C100CD2C42EA97664130FD88F5DE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duration of assistance</header><text>Section 3013(b) of such title is amended by striking <quote>is entitled to</quote> and all that follows and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H549CEE29025B4E80889825F7C4A2E34"><text>is entitled to—</text> <paragraph id="H65CF94BC258A41CA84F7EA943842E2E7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>one month of educational assistance benefits under this chapter—</text> <subparagraph id="HBD11C9AA2EB6480F833755E7A07E4448"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of an individual described in section 3012(a)(1)(A) of this title, for each month of continuous active duty served by such individual after June 30, 1985, as part of the obligated period of active duty on which such entitlement is based;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H9591F506EA2849CA84B1D19F01525B59"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of an individual described in section 3012(a)(1)(B) or section 3012(a)(1)(C) of this title, for each month of continuous active duty served by such individual after June 30, 1985; or </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD49A0F1250ED4426A99C1069BF86F3FC"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in the case of an individual described in section 3012(a)(1)(D) of this title, for each month of active duty served by such individual after September 11, 2001, as part of the aggregate period of active duty on which such entitlement is based; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF2F8556030CC476E8000ED7B7D72050"><enum>(2)</enum><text>one month of educational assistance benefits under this chapter for each four months served by such individual in the Selected Reserve after the applicable date specified in paragraph (1) (other than any month in which the individual served on active duty).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H26B994FB06E74B0A9B83B6C5838DBB9F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Amount of assistance</header><text>Section 3015 of such title is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HF82B372178A5424B9E730064DA16CF6E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsections (a)(1)(D) and (b)(1)(D), by striking <quote>subsection (h)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (i)</quote>;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7CAB8D473C144D6BBAF1EEA6F09C1685"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9DAE46323B344FADAEA4CED6B929F1CF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection (h):</text> <quoted-block id="H9132F211F35E4630A7CD1DF2A6AA2E63"> <subsection id="H3854B315D72B406495F37441C7A18A1"><enum>(h)</enum><text>In the case of an individual entitled to an educational assistance allowance under section 3012(a)(1)(D) of this title, the amount of the basic educational assistance allowance payable under this chapter is the amount determined under subsection (b) of this section.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H56104FA5C4974DCCB43B1D81B1883FF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Contribution</header><text>Paragraph (1) of section 3012(c) of such title is amended by inserting <quote>or subsection (a)(1)(D)</quote> after <quote>subsection (a)(1)(A)</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H00A892604F0246A6831B9E92732D6F88"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Election to opt out</header><text>Subsection (d)(1) of section 3012 of such title is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H93B433F283DF499583955E516F1EC1BF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(A)</quote> after <quote>(d)(1)</quote>; </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H37DB5C4C81DC4D84B133E08CBCF80923"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by designating the last sentence as subparagraph (C);</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H167BB5B95CCA4D4A9C38B91C1BB1EA6B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), as so designated, by striking <quote>such an election</quote> and inserting <quote>an election under this paragraph</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC6827B86789D4767AB78F99BA16BC025"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by inserting before subparagraph (C), as so designated, the following new subparagraph (B):</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HFD658AF64D6F49C800C2C2A98F54844F" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subparagraph id="H776827CF6AB04F5782DE8279FC7893FB" indent="up2"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An individual described in subsection (a)(1)(D) may make an election not to receive educational assistance under this chapter. Any such election shall be made at the time the individual completes the aggregate period of active duty service required under such subsection.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5B420D5FE239418D90A7ED49814F7DA9"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Outreach</header> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA3E9F3626FF74B7BA7F62EA362B08F02"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretaries concerned shall take actions to inform members of the Selected Reserve who are or may become entitled to basic educational assistance benefits under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/30">chapter 30</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, as a result of section 3012(a)(1)(D) of such title (as amended by subsection (a) of this section) of the minimum service requirements for entitlement to such benefits under that chapter and of the scope and nature of such benefits.</text></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H1C646EAAE3DD484EB0A00F7D56BDC55"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In this subsection:</text> <subparagraph id="H4E43F1E8B43B422EAFD4B27D40EB5EA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The term <term>Secretary concerned</term> has the meaning given such term in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/101">section 101(25)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF12CEA7BC17D4E669568D5213E097733"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The term <term>Selected Reserve</term> has the meaning given such term in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/3002">section 3002(4)</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="HBD7D84B147BA430F8E1818F7C9007D24"><enum>C</enum><header>Employment Assistance for Homeless Veterans </header> <section id="H06A35BA0F62346DEA915F9C6FBF603C2"><enum>521.</enum><header>Reauthorization of appropriations for Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (e)(1) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/2021">section 2021</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H5363EBEEC56246C4A089109BA12B3B22" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="HC289067011B5441AB1B51376F64D57BE"><enum>(F)</enum><text>$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section> <section id="HD6D71555F69F4356922798FD22CC31EE"><enum>522.</enum><header>Expansion of Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to include veterans at imminent risk for homelessness</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (a) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/2021">section 2021</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>and veterans who are at imminent risk of homelessness</quote> after <quote>to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans</quote>.</text></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H786653D0CD3B4738AF28E71D63A200F0"><enum>D</enum><header>Payment Matters</header> <section id="HA562CFB22ADC4C5F9F3D99BCA919E6BC" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>531.</enum><header>No reduction in monthly military pay and allowances for members of the uniformed services wounded or injured in combat zones</header> <subsection id="H5D75F8315B92440E85E9335546CB36DC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/310">section 310</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block id="HDC7749D37302432299CCB246377E0071"> <subsection id="H33ADA8E00FF44E168E927EE5BFAA0238"><enum>(b)</enum><header>No reduction in monthly military pay for wounded or injured members</header> <paragraph id="H4BCE0E1C4A834A6C9700EA17178DD779"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Effect of wound or injury in combat zone</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For each month during the period specified in paragraph (2), the total amount of monthly military pay paid to a member who was wounded or otherwise injured while assigned to duty in an area for which special pay was available under this section at the time the member was wounded or otherwise injured shall not be less than the total amount of military pay paid to the member for the month during which the member was wounded or otherwise injured. </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBD8585C7E6F94FDF914500EBF1276148"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Duration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to a wounded or injured member until the end of the first month during which any of the following occurs:</text> <subparagraph id="H6EC4289FFD2F46B6AF22A175DE00FEF8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The member is found to be physically able to perform the duties of the member’s office, grade, rank, or rating.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HEACCF4A883144F2394C000D82C0078C9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The member is discharged or separated from the uniformed services.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HCB44F4B3790B4E2182C400ACDF0007A5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The member dies.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H141BB0D3B80F40DAB33555F45356FBF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Military pay defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this subsection, the term <term>military pay</term> has the meaning given the term <term>pay</term> in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/101">section 101(21)</external-xref> of this title, except that the term includes allowances under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/37/7">chapter 7</external-xref> of this title.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H156722133CAA4D41948C30993D779379" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Retroactive effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/310">section 310</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, as amended by this section, shall apply with respect to any pay period ending on or after September 11, 2001, for members of the uniformed services described in paragraph (1) of such section who were wounded or otherwise injured on or after that date.</text></subsection></section> <section id="HFB5D519B43414FA8BBA52D82A5211537"><enum>532.</enum><header>Repeal of time limitation on exclusion of combat zone compensation by reason of hospitalization</header> <subsection id="H50E7F7F648BF49F296146512F6CBB551"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subsections (a)(2) and (b)(2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/112">section 112</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are each amended by striking <quote>; but this paragraph shall not apply for any month beginning more than 2 years after the date of the termination of combatant activities in such zone</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H06C52710290440118C93057B0062BB99"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsections (a)(2) and (b)(2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/112">section 112</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by this section, shall apply to compensation received for months ending on or after September 11, 2001, for members of the uniformed services described in such subsections who were wounded or otherwise injured on or after that date.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <enum>VI</enum><header>Reserve Components and Recruitment and Retention Initiatives</header> <subtitle id="HBA44BE526A5F4A99AF04AE7CF19F7E6F"><enum>A</enum><header>Health Care</header> <section id="HA60FBD752BB641DE91F2C0F97576643"><enum>601.</enum><header>Expanded Eligibility of selected reserve members under TRICARE program</header> <subsection id="H01E0ED55B72B48A8BD1B36066EC4347"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General Eligibility</header><text>Subsection (a) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1076d">section 1076d</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H48452A2FEB494CCDA58398011B7DC9DF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(a) <header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Eligibility</header-in-text>.—A member</quote> and inserting <quote>(a) <header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Eligibility</header-in-text>.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a member</quote>;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2A36BBFDD88C4AC1A26007822B39C087"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>after the member completes</quote> and all that follows through <quote>one or more whole years following such date</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5C61FD86B2FA497AAF5FA0B41840FAB8"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block id="HB244DC8D680D43D799A9B0C08B1516AD"> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H002DDF2E01D64746A400401029718FD3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply to a member who is enrolled, or is eligible to enroll, in a health benefits plan under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/89">chapter 89</external-xref> of title 5.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H4CC18314772F4E9EAB33FB8F7B162595"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Condition for termination of Eligibility</header><text>Subsection (b) of such section is amended by striking <quote>(b) <header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Period of Coverage</header-in-text>.—(1) TRICARE Standard</quote> and all that follows through <quote>(3) Eligibility</quote> and inserting <quote>(b) <header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Termination of Eligibility Upon Termination of Service</header-in-text>.—Eligibility</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H42071A88160C4F689DEC328F84AC6FDC"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header> <paragraph id="H259105EBE8C843858708FC484CEDFC00"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Such section is further amended—</text> <subparagraph id="H628230E3976A4705A66DA659A2C42F81"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking subsection (e); and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HBE1C769A8741423D83FF004DA5FD2D1F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (e) and transferring such subsection within such section so as to appear following subsection (d).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H727CC5EA5DBD4A079788BF7800925887"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The heading for such section is amended to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H27B40CF615EF464AA9526513A9C1E6C"> <section id="H7F06C4830D344F24ACD53E0790B92F50"><enum>1076d.</enum><header>TRICARE program: TRICARE standard coverage for members of the selected reserve</header></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HE155C4CA4BF94CC0BA6F374166E86D3D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Repeal of obsolete provision</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1076b">Section 1076b</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is repealed.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC99804F291BF43978C6081600056C901"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Clerical amendments</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/55">chapter 55</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HA6A63F59BF3048F083FA35C5FB1ED9D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking the item relating to section 1076b; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7983D5ABE49242F0A06D6D9F18197D51"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking the item relating to section 1076d and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H5CB003C5A7AA435393D4E970A83DD749"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">1076d. TRICARE program: TRICARE Standard coverage for members of the Selected Reserve</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HC1AA2306A4D24F449FA17C93AB400EA"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Savings provision</header><text>Enrollments in TRICARE Standard that are in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1076d">section 1076d</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on such day, shall be continued until terminated after such day under such section 1076d as amended by this section.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H4D3EA925F59F4E319C803DDA2BD58B50"><enum>B</enum><header>Recruitment and Retention Incentives</header> <section id="H90A7F279E73B425CBEC17992E5CCE4A8" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>611.</enum><header>Increase in authorized maximum annual amount of special pay for Selected Reserve health care professionals in critically short wartime specialties and authorized duration of pay</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/302g">Section 302g</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H5A870D720CC6444D8D8255775BA4F457"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text> <subparagraph id="HEF87E9DC3FA0491F85A1123FB1225436"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>nor more than three years</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H0420EFEFB0B84E3494C5DD64FC58FB86"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$10,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$25,000</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6E47D49E73EF4440893F524D51D59D91"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (f), by striking <quote>2005</quote> and inserting <quote>2006</quote>.</text></paragraph></section> <section id="H796463EDBC27413A87FEF99F4900938B" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>612.</enum><header>Reenlistment bonus for members of Selected Reserve</header> <subsection id="H9CEE99BB27FE49D0A8A36875BECD2B6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Eligibility of senior enlisted members</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (a)(1) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/308b">section 308b</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>16 years of total military service</quote> and inserting <quote>18 years of total military service</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC8AACBAE55664697A3BDB7D60A2E091"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Reenlistment options</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (a)(2) of such section is amended by striking <quote>three years or for a period of six years</quote> and inserting <quote>one to six years, in increments of whole years,</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC21410032EA84E18AF77918316C17219"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Bonus amounts</header><text>Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of such section is amended to read as follows</text> <quoted-block id="H4BA2B5421817480CBC11785EBF9F77BE"> <paragraph id="H688A2A12D7A34CF692AFF9E753A2D007" indent="up1"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amount of a bonus under this section may not exceed—</text> <subparagraph id="HA36E4F76F01B46AE9C13A77E863558B4"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$15,000, in the case of a member who reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of six years;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H250318178DC5451AA94629D280DBA483"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$12,500, in the case of a member who reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of five years;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7DC547DECAF546BEB328EF70007BBF35"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$10,000, in the case of a member who reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of four years;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA1702FD842FD4C9A8FFFB7C24198F58F" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(D)</enum><text>$7,500, in the case of a member who, having never received a bonus under this section, reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of three years;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7802F2A8A33E42B098176FEE0583EB3"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$5,000, in the case of a member who, having never received a bonus under this section, reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of two years;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H469167CD4FFC4A75977BE4003F5C145F"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$2,500, in the case of a member who, having never received a bonus under this section, reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of one year; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H430EAB2B9D8B4961BEB14C4C945DC9EF"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$6,000, in the case of a member who, having received a bonus under this section for a previous one-, two-, or three-year reenlistment or extension of an enlistment, reenlists or extends the enlistment for an additional period of one, two, or three years.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HA790C7FB96F04760A012E29D753EEEB2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authority to waive eligibility requirements</header><text>Subsection (c)(2) of such section is amended by striking <quote>In the case</quote> and all that follows through <quote>the Secretary</quote> and inserting <quote>In time of war or national emergency, the Secretary</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H69859D32717143E0B542C8FFC6F1E41B"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Duration of authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (g) of such section is amended by striking <quote>2005</quote> and inserting <quote>2006</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HBE4A6CD06AF24B63A4C49D69B263D92"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><text>Subsection (c)(1) of such section is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H7F2ED688DC57406AA0D53533E0D4091E"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>subsection (b)(1)(C)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (b)(1)(G)</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H48838B7C4C4647DB946F897D1E0963F8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>three years</quote> and inserting <quote>one, two, or three years</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H90428F686DC341D0B051B2CF29A0FC00" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>613.</enum><header>Increase in authorized maximum amount of Selected Reserve enlistment bonus</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/308c">Section 308c</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HA9FC8D408BF2407EA1607271F97925B0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b), by striking <quote>$10,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$32,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1A4F6F0E56514BD3825824CD2559B4EC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (e), by striking <quote>2005</quote> and inserting <quote>2006</quote>.</text></paragraph></section> <section id="H6BA4663E922E4BECA31630A8994902DE" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>614.</enum><header>Increase in authorized maximum amount for reserve affiliation bonus under reserve affiliation agreements entered into during fiscal year 2006</header> <subsection id="H1E5FB7AC0DCC4B8E81BF79A86F4BB875"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Increase</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/308e">Section 308e</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H06906A8306C7445F0099C9FD35A17D11" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subsection id="H72D26BD97FC04512AFB565CBF79073D5"><enum>(h)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding subsection (c), the maximum amount of the bonus that may be paid under this section pursuant to a reserve affiliation agreement entered into during fiscal year 2006 shall not exceed $15,000. The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, may amend the regulations prescribed under subsection (f) to modify the method by which bonus payments will be made under such reserve affiliation agreements.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H4E0612962169450E9F7454AB23B83FD2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Subsection (e) of such section is amended by striking <quote>2005</quote> and inserting <quote>2006</quote>.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H2AA9497A231C442CB4B6F8F718CF7005" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>615.</enum><header>Increase in authorized maximum amount of general enlistment bonus</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/309">Section 309</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HF1F983482B8E4FA093E01FD594FA3CA6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a), by striking <quote>$20,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$50,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9EBA887EACE74978A6D71E1CB133AAD5"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (e), by striking <quote>2005</quote> and inserting <quote>2006</quote>.</text></paragraph></section> <section id="H53B5CE38555C4DD89C15A0E12BB9D6F4" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>616.</enum><header>Use of referral bonus to promote enlistments in Selected Reserve</header> <subsection id="HF39E5636E95141E4B139754F89EC2063"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Bonus authorized</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/37/5">Chapter 5</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting after <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/308">section 308</external-xref> the following new section:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="HB91D6AC76F2A414CB26B324300CFC059" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <section id="HD1AEA6E8A15F40B9B4459044BC7955E4"><enum>308a.</enum><header>Selected Reserve referral bonus</header> <subsection id="HB804A1CC22CD4F9F00127083F64CC633"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Bonus authorized</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary concerned may pay a referral bonus to a member of the Selected Reserve who refers, to a member of the uniformed services assigned to recruiting duties, a person who, after such referral, enlists or is appointed, for a period of not less than two years, in the Selected Reserve of the same reserve component as the member making the referral. </text></subsection> <subsection id="HD43DCB66DC4349A0AE747491E4E0DA18"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Amount of bonus</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The referral bonus may not exceed $2,500 per referral.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H27FE285549B34D8086001BD5FBB18E7" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Relation to prohibition on bounties</header><text>The referral bonus authorized by this section is not a bounty for purposes of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/514">section 514(a)</external-xref> of title 10.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HFE2133E8E1F34F2FA47CE9EFBC1FB7B9"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Duration of authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A referral bonus may not be paid under this section with respect to any referral made after December 31, 2006.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H5D7EE3A854D44F1F886860763FD31BF6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 308 the following new item:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="HE55660626F684CFDA080C5DFA98FE727" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">308a. Selected Reserve referral bonus</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section> <section id="HE14725134CC24526895E2DAB7672AB18" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>617.</enum><header>Extension of active-duty retention bonuses and special pays for health care professionals to reserve component officers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/303a">Section 303a</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="HA9408B0B46F44AE49B4567AAA8F23D6E" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subsection id="HF8C50FB0E22D4B6288A900E58D627C13"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Availability for reserve component health care professionals</header><text>The Secretary of Defense shall modify the eligibility requirements for each special pay authorized under sections 301d, 301e, 302 through 302j, and 303 of this title as necessary to ensure that commissioned officers of the reserve components who are not serving under a call or order to active duty, but who otherwise satisfy the eligibility requirements for the special pay, are eligible to receive the special pay in amounts, and under terms and conditions, comparable to those applicable to commissioned officers of the regular components. The requirements of this subsection are in addition to the policy expressed in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/302f">section 302f</external-xref> of this title to expand the availability of certain special pays to reserve officers who are health care professionals. </text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section> <section id="HEDCAF51A384E4FCEB53EEF46A324CF61" section-type="subsequent-section" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>618.</enum><header>Critical-skills accession bonus for persons enrolled in Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who are obtaining nursing degrees</header> <subsection id="HC880184C471E4B89A5A9FFFDD547E185"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Provision of bonus in reduced amount</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/324">Section 324</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, as amended by section 614(f) of this Act, is further amended—</text> <paragraph id="HA36F543DC6F349C2AD09ACF682EA8952"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA703C90E7B0C40CB8377D2C5C5131DAA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H9CBB86D5FA404049839B69752EEF2C03" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subsection id="HC7A80D924CFD47EDAD32C8988F51F18E"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Nurse candidates in senior reserve officers’ training corps</header> <paragraph id="H6EBE8C55F221415EB5009F526FEC8A2" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A person enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program of the Army for advanced training under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/103">chapter 103</external-xref> of title 10, including a person receiving financial assistance under section 2107 of such title, may receive an accession bonus under this section if the person—</text> <subparagraph id="H59764CA08C1741EBAF5CA5D86D3852F3" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has completed the second year of an accredited baccalaureate degree program in nursing; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7D13E4C7C7634AC59B131FFE37FD0079" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>executes an agreement under this section to serve on active duty as a commissioned officer in the Army Nurse Corps.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEAD1991E11FE4A5592B840AE458377D1" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding subsection (c), the amount of the accession bonus paid to a person described in paragraph (1) may not exceed $5,000. </text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HC98A7266E36B41EBA8D6CCD88D339CA8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Retroactive application to existing agreements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (f) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/324">section 324</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to agreements referred to in paragraph (1)(B) of such subsection executed on or after October 5, 2004.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="HF0511E658DE248DFAB00F928ED1E153"><enum>C</enum><header>Payment Matters</header> <section id="HA7E579A7BE6249FD9E62E15541F34991"><enum>621.</enum><header>Nonreduction in pay while Federal employee is serving on active duty in a reserve component of the uniformed services</header> <subsection id="H4D86EE2A3F0148079B00572122A3C52F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subchapter IV of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/55">chapter 55</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H2A2F4E8D53B049EEBB80E14F534C6700"> <section id="H136096E2B2384ACF004351C9B97BDDB1"><enum>5538.</enum><header>Nonreduction in pay while serving on active duty in a reserve component</header> <subsection id="H43A5CB3A60A8485F92C365B833AEC3DD"><enum>(a)</enum><text>An employee who is also a member of a reserve component and is absent from a position of employment with the Federal Government under a call or order to serve on active duty for a period of more than 30 days shall be entitled to receive, for each pay period described in subsection (b), an amount equal to the difference (if any) between—</text> <paragraph id="H9A9A43948AB943EA81480000D828185E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the amount of civilian basic pay that would otherwise have been payable to the employee for such pay period if the employee’s civilian employment with the Government had not been interrupted by the service on active duty; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H39B650D289B94275BF03AB7E6FD6711F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the amount of military compensation that is payable to the employee for the service on active duty and is allocable to such pay period.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HDDC5ABFA2FF44B8CA053ADFA1236273F"><enum>(b)</enum> <paragraph display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H82695BAF6B6C4C24A0D6792A2A47D00"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Amounts under this section shall be payable with respect to each pay period (which would otherwise apply if the employee’s civilian employment had not been interrupted) that occurs—</text> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HD5B434C83D5145E6AE8EB7C9C8C7FCA6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>while the employee serves on active duty for a period of more than 30 days;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="H67E5F00E76B74C6E8F9EF22653559797"><enum>(B)</enum><text>while the employee is hospitalized for, or convalescing from, an illness or injury incurred in, or aggravated during, the performance of such active duty; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph indent="up1" id="HF6B565E1064D47568D0061D332A79F29"><enum>(C)</enum><text>during the 14-day period beginning at the end of such active duty or the end of the period referred to in subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph indent="up1" id="H02584E191C3B4366AE282E64A0A888B1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a pay period for which the employee receives civilian basic pay (including by taking any annual, military, or other paid leave) to which the employee is entitled by virtue of the employee’s civilian employment with the Government.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HAE43D695BAAF4613AD61BE28EE08709"><enum>(c)</enum><text>Any amount payable under this section to an employee shall be paid—</text> <paragraph id="H30BD0B10332D499DA1E486214401A516"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by the employing agency of the employee;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF3106B1D97624717BD4B17DEBD1F27CD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>from the appropriations or fund that would be used to pay the employee if the employee were in a pay status; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCDA2EFDA944F44A38CA0959699FDE3C8"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to the extent practicable, at the same time and in the same manner as would civilian basic pay if the employee’s civilian employment had not been interrupted.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HA75D0755452D4E52BD2735E613D68D00"><enum>(d)</enum><text>In consultation with Secretary of Defense, the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H0AFC23019149441D93080046D6E306E2"><enum>(e)</enum><text>In consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, the head of each employing agency shall prescribe procedures to ensure that the rights under this section apply to the employees of such agency.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HF766886A00AC415098A73725008EBE9D"><enum>(f)</enum><text>In this section:</text> <paragraph id="H1E96184897744CE583580015051478F6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The terms <term>active duty for a period of more than 30 days</term>, <term>member</term>, and <term>reserve component</term> have the meanings given such terms in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/101">section 101</external-xref> of title 37.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H04CA2F6E14C24445A6956D96748FD25B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The term <term>civilian basic pay</term>, with respect to an employee, includes any amount payable under section 5304 of this title or under such other law providing for the compensation of the employee by the employing agency for work performed.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBB593EAE17B049369E007022991F7023"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The term <term>employing agency</term>, as used with respect to an employee entitled to any payments under this section, means the agency with respect to which the employee has reemployment rights under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/43">chapter 43</external-xref> of title 38. The term <term>agency</term> has the meaning given such term in subparagraph (C) of section 2302(a)(2) of this title, except that the term includes Government corporations and agencies excluded by clause (i) or (ii) of such subparagraph. </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2E904BBE064C485CA22D7F2732E600D7"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The term <term>military compensation</term> has the meaning given the term <term>pay</term> in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/101">section 101(21)</external-xref> of title 37, except that the term includes allowances under chapter 7 of such title.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H5DE178A2DBB64F69A9DEDEE685F318FB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/55">chapter 55</external-xref> of title 5, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5537 the following new item:</text> <quoted-block style="USC" id="H300527B655CC499EAA9F5EB7B6208E58"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">5538. Nonreduction in pay while serving on active duty in a reserve component</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HC9C1DE3EF47C40DF827664D856C5CF7D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application of amendment</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/5538">Section 5538</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to pay periods (as described in subsection (b) of such section) beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="HC176FEC3394847C8827908C492B3A200"><enum>622.</enum><header>Active-duty reserve component employee credit added to general business credit</header> <subsection id="HD4C5F8859FE744569BAC04555FFE8BB6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Addition of credit</header><text>Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/26/1">chapter 1</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business-related credits) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block id="H0BB676DFF43548DF9D1324D5E4ED5C96"> <section id="H31777F92309C4470873B4C026E05F3CE"><enum>45J.</enum><header>Active-duty reserve component employee credit</header> <subsection id="H5806044878C342A09475C8D064276144"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General rule</header><text>For purposes of section 38, the Ready Reserve-National Guard employee credit determined under this section for any taxable year with respect to each Ready Reserve-National Guard employee of an employer is an amount equal to the lesser of—</text> <paragraph id="H7FF771E2D5814F299E8ECA1CD54F81A"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">50 percent of the actual compensation amount paid with respect to such Ready Reserve-National Guard employee for such taxable year while the employee is absent from employment for a reason described in subsection (b); or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H96184CC51A194377A050BA03F185149F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>$30,000.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H71261DB39778468E00E08D02CBCEB0BA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Covered pay periods</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to a Ready Reserve-National Guard employee—</text> <paragraph id="HCF15B580019A441595740091E0F86FCD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>while the employee serves on active duty for a period of more than 30 days;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H948C8123F6114460BE3C78FF89B9D2BB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>while the employee is hospitalized for, or convalescing from, an illness or injury incurred in, or aggravated during, the performance of such active duty; or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0DE88FDCE25D40858FEAF8ECDF8BB100"><enum>(3)</enum><text>during the 14-day period beginning at the end of such active duty or the end of the period referred to in subparagraph (B).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H2FC2A3BFBEBF4FA184D315BF3BAE4032"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Limitation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) with respect to a Ready Reserve-National Guard employee on any day on which the employee was not scheduled to work (for a reason other than such service on active duty) and ordinarily would not have worked.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HE825C08225B14E1B9DD1DCED8BCE7B1B"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Portion of credit refundable</header> <paragraph id="H5EF5D3E56FB64A8F979333B0E9C6616F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of an employer described in paragraph (2), the aggregate credits allowed to a taxpayer under subpart C shall be increased by the lesser of—</text> <subparagraph id="H626E92BBC50942578EDD879F3371E899"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the credit which would be allowed under this section without regard to this subsection and the limitation under section 38(c), or </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5EDEDF883FF74A4C9DDB000062D73DEB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the amount by which the aggregate amount of credits allowed by this subpart (determined without regard to this subsection) would increase if the limitation imposed by section 38(c) for any taxable year were increased by the amount of employer payroll taxes imposed on the taxpayer during the calendar year in which the taxable year begins. </text></subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">The amount of the credit allowed under this subsection shall not be treated as a credit allowed under this subpart and shall reduce the amount of the credit otherwise allowable under subsection (a) without regard to section 38(c).</continuation-text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCD73ECC88AE247DB92A2503379C6E000"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Employer described</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employer is described in this paragraph if the employer is—</text> <subparagraph id="H3124F90B3B2443A982EFC552CD66B71"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an organization exempt from tax under this chapter,</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD9E9B09854E54E0480FBB746EAB39B9F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>any State or political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, any possession of the United States, or any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H042572CA6E2E44778F607979009DAD3E"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any Indian tribal government (within the meaning of section 7871) or any agency or instrumentality thereof.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3592E10D8B46446E8EAA42DF514FC1B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Employer payroll taxes</header><text>For purposes of this subsection—</text> <subparagraph id="HC864B958F15241B98CE3DBB8087D4531"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>employer payroll taxes</term> means the taxes imposed by—</text> <clause id="H67C2EAFFA36B4A738205E9CC8EF945FF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>section 3111(b), and </text></clause> <clause id="H804E5693833B4A3DAA2FD775AD142046"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>sections 3211(a) and 3221(a) (determined at a rate equal to the rate under section 3111(b)). </text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFF8F3F1DEFAB4905BD3D98C5873C8D4E"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rule</header><text>A rule similar to the rule of section 24(d)(2)(C) shall apply for purposes of subparagraph (A). </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H1EA1936E5FA140F19DDAF26697880838"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section—</text> <paragraph id="HA98B684D6279443EB8A96B82ACC10607"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The terms <term>active duty for a period of more than 30 days</term>, <term>member</term>, and <term>reserve component</term> have the meanings given such terms in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/101">section 101</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H888E4902E19844CFA63400515B0042D8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The term <term>compensation</term> means any remuneration for employment, whether in cash or in kind, which is paid or incurred by a taxpayer and which is deductible from the taxpayer’s gross income under section 162(a)(1).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF5CE9C1DDA5A49E8A698D800294C9E00"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The term <term>Ready Reserve-National Guard employee</term> with respect to an employer, means an employee of the employer who is also a member of a reserve component during a taxable year.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HA8B7F81EDFB94ECEB08CA0AC73F8C8B7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Credit to be part of general business credit</header><text>Subsection (b) of section 38 of such Code (relating to general business credit) is amended by striking <quote>plus</quote> at the end of paragraph (18), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (19) and inserting <quote>, plus</quote>, and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block id="HE14F298A15E24147B95CA3FEE59E687B"> <paragraph id="H300DD9A2926F4E25A904AABD7D021100"><enum>(20)</enum><text>the active-duty reserve component employee credit determined under section 45J(a).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HBEDC85B893C446D5931240CFB2FBB200"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header> <paragraph id="H330A0D38986B4CBC96A0804F42E71315" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Paragraph (2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/31/1324">section 1324(b)</external-xref> of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>or 45J</quote> after <quote>section 35</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7D0BC75D03E44237BB6FAFDDD5F44238"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/26/1">chapter 1</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 45I the following new item:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H669C6BD595B3457397FEBE45FB39BFB0" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc container-level="quoted-block-container" quoted-block="no-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" idref="H0BB676DFF43548DF9D1324D5E4ED5C96" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded"> <toc-entry idref="H31777F92309C4470873B4C026E05F3CE" level="section">Sec. 45J. Active-duty reserve component employee credit</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H28A96746913B48588100DA44778D865F"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2004.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H93F771EFDDBE4E26AB38A86419BC476F" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>623.</enum><header>Differential wage payments</header> <subsection id="H44B63EDF87554BB38114A350DAF1D922"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Income tax withholding</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/3401">Section 3401</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to definitions) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block id="HF02077E60C1F442A9D30BF6D89913CC" style="OLC"> <subsection id="H1FB0853A2E464CC0BF780054C8806817"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Differential wage payments to active duty members of the uniformed services</header> <paragraph id="H23D6E16FA4FF4BD988A210377E0446F2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a), any differential wage payment shall be treated as a payment of wages by the employer to the employee. </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H573BD07B05004539A6D93E22FB90902D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Differential wage payment</header><text>For purposes of paragraph (1), the term <term>differential wage payment</term> means any payment which—</text> <subparagraph id="H9A695D5F53BC485BBC83F8F0682CBBE0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is made by an employer to an individual with respect to any period during which the individual is performing service in the uniformed services while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days, and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H60E8D5DEB6E34B279F024DB850943003"><enum>(B)</enum><text>represents all or a portion of the wages the individual would have received from the employer if the individual were performing service for the employer.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H37FFD59E12D141E9A9226FEDDD2F887F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Treatment of differential wage payments for retirement plan purposes</header> <paragraph id="H4DDA2D3BFBD3471B902E64833C71B886"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Pension plans</header> <subparagraph id="H237F70D001944D00AC8053F98CE2EE97"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 414(u) of such Code (relating to special rules relating to veterans’ reemployment rights under USERRA) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block id="H51B1F2757FDA4A8C9928807B225E3572" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="H7395F8A4120F4D089449851B29F74658"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Treatment of differential wage payments</header> <subparagraph id="HF718D51E53B840A4A408BD32BDDF68E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in this paragraph, for purposes of applying this title to a retirement plan to which this subsection applies—</text> <clause id="H16DB30E5B22A468B8218E39F28B3C35B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an individual receiving a differential wage payment shall be treated as an employee of the employer making the payment,</text></clause> <clause id="H3526230CB355405796401448525BC877"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the differential wage payment shall be treated as compensation, and</text></clause> <clause id="H39CC0C4E5F5042C38FF7FD88C966D80"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of any provision described in paragraph (1)(C) by reason of any contribution which is based on the differential wage payment.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2386BD2A7B3A47EFA1C680E402D5939"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rule for distributions</header> <clause id="H4FA1ED649AC94B53AEA3D8B36ECE5060"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(i), for purposes of section 401(k)(2)(B)(i)(I), 403(b)(7)(A)(ii), 403(b)(11)(A), or 457(d)(1)(A)(ii), an individual shall be treated as having been severed from employment during any period the individual is performing service in the uniformed services described in section 3401(i)(2)(A).</text></clause> <clause id="HD96CC38DB9FB4639831B00F98115BBC0"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Limitation</header><text>If an individual elects to receive a distribution by reason of clause (i), the plan shall provide that the individual may not make an elective deferral or employee contribution during the 6-month period beginning on the date of the distribution.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6EA9487ECBA545719E19B60746BE9C55"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Nondiscrimination requirement</header><text>Subparagraph (A)(iii) shall apply only if all employees of an employer performing service in the uniformed services described in section 3401(i)(2)(A) are entitled to receive differential wage payments on reasonably equivalent terms and, if eligible to participate in a retirement plan maintained by the employer, to make contributions based on the payments . For purposes of applying this subparagraph, the provisions of paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), of section 410(b) shall apply.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE57D1D17D2194B1FB5FD7874B3A4E00"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Differential wage payment</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>differential wage payment</term> has the meaning given such term by section 3401(i)(2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H4EF47E7DFE974B749B588314E3AE82F"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading for section 414(u) of such Code is amended by inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">and to differential wage payments to members on active duty</header-in-text></quote> after <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">USERRA</header-in-text></quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEBEAAD47168746BB83C0B798BF4086B2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Differential wage payments treated as compensation for individual retirement plans</header><text>Section 219(f)(1) of such Code (defining compensation) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: <quote>The term <term>compensation</term> includes any differential wage payment (as defined in section 3401(i)(2))</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HDD8C296268D0404900B8642DF7BA5FB6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective dates</header> <paragraph id="HC9BC1005BBD644AEB32212F19E188CB5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Subsection <enum-in-header>(a)</enum-in-header></header><text>The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to remuneration paid after December 31, 2004.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA0826D5DAE844A6DB100717D28F2B358" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Subsection <enum-in-header>(b)</enum-in-header></header><text>The amendments made by subsection (b) shall apply to plan years beginning after December 31, 2004.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HC9F5F74B95F148E5B7BB0245F4D210FA"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Provisions relating to plan amendments</header> <paragraph id="HE823EAD4860E433999681405AABEFB58"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If this subsection applies to any plan or annuity contract amendment—</text> <subparagraph id="HB894286D0A6D4E9985D0DAB1134C7C98"><enum>(A)</enum><text>such plan or contract shall be treated as being operated in accordance with the terms of the plan or contract during the period described in paragraph (2)(B)(i), and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC9834A8148AB40019361B3160068FD76"><enum>(B)</enum><text>except as provided by the Secretary of the Treasury, such plan shall not fail to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 by reason of such amendment.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H930CF1F9D3DB483D97CCAD116B728F85"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Amendments to which section applies</header> <subparagraph id="HC0C12227E7344EADB897E6E000000000"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>This subsection shall apply to any amendment to any plan or annuity contract which is made—</text> <clause id="H6B816FFBE7A34F7798C11139A016BBFC"><enum>(i)</enum><text>pursuant to any amendment made by this section, and</text></clause> <clause id="H7CD49384A44440B38FED1EC9E4DD9972"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>on or before the last day of the first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2007.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF73D117AC6854950A7B64EE72E54D000"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Conditions</header><text>This subsection shall not apply to any plan or annuity contract amendment unless—</text> <clause id="H3CC72C9A10C44D5B96A472917BF91099"><enum>(i)</enum><text>during the period beginning on the date the amendment described in subparagraph (A)(i) takes effect and ending on the date described in subparagraph (A)(ii) (or, if earlier, the date the plan or contract amendment is adopted), the plan or contract is operated as if such plan or contract amendment were in effect; and</text></clause> <clause id="HF65ADE24C552486F801F086E19E00080"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>such plan or contract amendment applies retroactively for such period.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H7516D548762B47B1BC66AD477E89B86"><enum>624.</enum><header>Credit for income differential for employment of activated military reservist and replacement personnel</header> <subsection id="H2E935232974F40EFAEE4C2FCEFFE0D2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subpart B of part IV of subchapter A of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/26/1">chapter 1</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to other credits) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block id="HC50A3F265E254E31B114281B5B82D531"> <section id="HF4F8FEDD70B149DDAFF87D11E02F5608"><enum>30B.</enum><header>Employer wage credit for activated military reservists</header> <subsection id="HDBAFE62C26864214AC7F3571E532091C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General rule</header><text>There shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year an amount equal to the sum of—</text> <paragraph id="HE639B382A1A7467CBF718E1C04A0B84E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the case of a small business employer, the employment credit with respect to all qualified employees and qualified replacement employees of the taxpayer, plus</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H61C6130DE58B42D1AB4F3564C1E24BCA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the self-employment credit of a qualified self-employed taxpayer.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H2C0D454E1A574C0B98C85F941C386E1E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Employment credit</header><text>For purposes of this section—</text> <paragraph id="HE4CA407DEC9D416D8EC48DA0B833065"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Qualified employees</header> <subparagraph id="H39E00528C113450688DDBD5177D7E117"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The employment credit with respect to a qualified employee of the taxpayer for any taxable year is equal to 50 percent of the lesser of—</text> <clause id="H43C35A043E1A43E185892E486F4BD677"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the excess, if any, of—</text> <subclause id="HF6A6893B513F48EF8B1EFBB29C62922B"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the qualified employee’s average daily qualified compensation for the taxable year, over</text></subclause> <subclause id="HD66BC35CDE394C6C94030532EBA861D0"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the average daily military pay and allowances received by the qualified employee during the taxable year, while participating in qualified reserve component duty to the exclusion of the qualified employee’s normal employment duties for the number of days the qualified employee participates in qualified reserve component duty during the taxable year, including time spent in a travel status, or</text></subclause></clause> <clause id="H92C4FB0E4D8645398994C2C38D93CFC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>$30,000.</text></clause><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subparagraph">The employment credit, with respect to all qualified employees, is equal to the sum of the employment credits for each qualified employee under this subsection.</continuation-text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HB60E63B1164C48A39BB0A2DE5688C8DD"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Average daily qualified compensation and average daily military pay and allowances</header><text>As used with respect to a qualified employee—</text> <clause id="HC2165ABC3592411A82F491A75484761B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the term <term>average daily qualified compensation</term> means the qualified compensation of the qualified employee for the taxable year divided by the difference between—</text> <subclause id="HDFE3DD643C7243E79D00A0B8C26F9B81"><enum>(I)</enum><text>365, and</text></subclause> <subclause id="H543FA89E5A1C4112BA3F80AA7AC9074"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the number of days the qualified employee participates in qualified reserve component duty during the taxable year, including time spent in a travel status, and</text></subclause></clause> <clause id="H67C2C51F45584F88B7325FF3957D9613"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the term <term>average daily military pay and allowances</term> means—</text> <subclause id="H0C26BBAD4D994497A28E4EDDF844D183"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the amount paid to the qualified employee during the taxable year as military pay and allowances on account of the qualified employee’s participation in qualified reserve component duty, divided by</text></subclause> <subclause id="H53B56FBF8586420D83D36D9C1252B8A3"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the total number of days the qualified employee participates in qualified reserve component duty, including time spent in travel status.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HBB31BD6FC65E44DC8F1DBB2974AF254F"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Qualified compensation</header><text>When used with respect to the compensation paid or that would have been paid to a qualified employee for any period during which the qualified employee participates in qualified reserve component duty, the term <term>qualified compensation</term> means—</text> <clause id="H0AD37498F55E4BF900A2B3D171C00F"><enum>(i)</enum><text>compensation which is normally contingent on the qualified employee’s presence for work and which would be deductible from the taxpayer’s gross income under section 162(a)(1) if the qualified employee were present and receiving such compensation,</text></clause> <clause id="H0F0DDAD6D2474CD7A3218EF7003E9E71"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>compensation which is not characterized by the taxpayer as vacation or holiday pay, or as sick leave or pay, or as any other form of pay for a nonspecific leave of absence, and with respect to which the number of days the qualified employee participates in qualified reserve component duty does not result in any reduction in the amount of vacation time, sick leave, or other nonspecific leave previously credited to or earned by the qualified employee, and</text></clause> <clause id="HB946111FC6FA4E598EA541EEBE277D6B"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>group health plan costs (if any) with respect to the qualified employee.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H016313790C644590AF66D90089AA70C8"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Qualified employee</header><text>The term <term>qualified employee</term> means a person who—</text> <clause id="H956FDEF4529745CAA3F0461BFA8D9CF3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>has been an employee of the taxpayer for the 31-day period immediately preceding the period during which the employee participates in qualified reserve component duty, and</text></clause> <clause id="H1ECC69444980474DAB3193D6A3287CBB"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>is a member of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component of an Armed Force of the United States as defined in sections <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/10142">10142</external-xref> and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/10101">10101</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H28D2E2D6D43D4DC48D26E043A938B3B6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Qualified replacement employees</header> <subparagraph id="HD8F8CCD4C4CF450C8250B665F251D1E5"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The employment credit with respect to a qualified replacement employee of the taxpayer for any taxable year is equal to 50 percent of the lesser of—</text> <clause id="H122C80987A6A4080B900031107C849F4"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the individual’s qualified compensation attributable to service rendered as a qualified replacement employee, or</text></clause> <clause id="HC59FAC487688476797007B81C947242B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>$12,000.</text></clause><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subparagraph">The employment credit, with respect to all qualified replacement employees, is equal to the sum of the employment credits for each qualified replacement employee under this subsection.</continuation-text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HEF85ADD19DF740A4B2F58B00AB3CAC80"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Qualified compensation</header><text>When used with respect to the compensation paid to a qualified replacement employee, the term <term>qualified compensation</term> means—</text> <clause id="HBC82B4DBF8444E7489E29500D9E3D407"><enum>(i)</enum><text>compensation which is normally contingent on the qualified replacement employee’s presence for work and which is deductible from the taxpayer’s gross income under section 162(a)(1),</text></clause> <clause id="HADECD7A749514933A0C5191E3010FB88"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>compensation which is not characterized by the taxpayer as vacation or holiday pay, or as sick leave or pay, or as any other form of pay for a nonspecific leave of absence, and</text></clause> <clause id="H75FE62B884EE4FF0B61B4FC727BF5B2"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>group health plan costs (if any) with respect to the qualified replacement employee.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC2038D9216244872B8677D04CF3E1B73"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Qualified replacement employee</header><text>The term <term>qualified replacement employee</term> means an individual who is hired to replace a qualified employee or a qualified self-employed taxpayer, but only with respect to the period during which such employee or taxpayer participates in qualified reserve component duty, including time spent in travel status.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF447616E53864F4F891CD6E3F7A06521"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Failure to make differential wage payments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The employment credit with respect to a qualified replacement employee of the taxpayer for any taxable year shall be zero if the taxpayer does not make all differential wage payments (as defined by section 3401(i)(2)) for the taxable year to the qualified employee or the qualified self-employed taxpayer (as the case may be) who is replaced by the qualified replacement employee. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H66866EF4134D4181916DDF1630131100"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Self-employment credit</header><text>For purposes of this section—</text> <paragraph id="HFDE57BBB250C457C982D8C83D779EAA2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The self-employment credit of a qualified self-employed taxpayer for any taxable year is equal to 50 percent of the lesser of—</text> <subparagraph id="HC3E1DBBD75A04664AA8997464710A3BA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the excess, if any, of—</text> <clause id="HFB4199B0A1A8422A956B4411C461479"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the self-employed taxpayer’s average daily self-employment income for the taxable year over</text></clause> <clause id="H71C98CA4EB2A4783A0D26E007DF6CA1E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the average daily military pay and allowances received by the taxpayer during the taxable year, while participating in qualified reserve component duty to the exclusion of the taxpayer’s normal self-employment duties for the number of days the taxpayer participates in qualified reserve component duty during the taxable year, including time spent in a travel status, or</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H24135A2BA1494D0F8B47EBFAA79B31C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>$30,000.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H26631C702424420AB65448F6653803F5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Average daily self-employment income and average daily military pay and allowances</header><text>As used with respect to a self-employed taxpayer—</text> <subparagraph id="HD8FA8A640E354F4596AF38BCA07B703D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the term <term>average daily self-employment income</term> means the self-employment income (as defined in section 1402(b)) of the taxpayer for the taxable year plus the amount paid for insurance which constitutes medical care for the taxpayer for such year (within the meaning of section 162(l)) divided by the difference between—</text> <clause id="HA7A59BCDF44E4CADB2D7C4313810025"><enum>(i)</enum><text>365, and</text></clause> <clause id="H076918EAAF0E44EABE75D1E113D928B1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the number of days the taxpayer participates in qualified reserve component duty during the taxable year, including time spent in a travel status, and</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H79BAFF60FAA2403FA507F323A0B577A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the term <term>average daily military pay and allowances</term> means—</text> <clause id="HC7CDBD108D25456E9D7CE8D321EE76BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the amount paid to the taxpayer during the taxable year as military pay and allowances on account of the taxpayer’s participation in qualified reserve component duty, divided by</text></clause> <clause id="H9471EF93333547FCA2875D761D7431C4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the total number of days the taxpayer participates in qualified reserve component duty, including time spent in travel status.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H31A834E7F0D7411FB458600949CD2010"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Qualified self-employed taxpayer</header><text>The term <term>qualified self-employed taxpayer</term> means a taxpayer who—</text> <subparagraph id="H08AD576007BD425D8D5752F6EB42F729"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has net earnings from self-employment (as defined in section 1402(a)) for the taxable year, and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H66101DD12AB94D2BB630001483E64C46"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is a member of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component of an Armed Force of the United States.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H9A31CBA8D5DE4A6D986CC7E3A2CFFB3F"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Credit in addition to deduction</header><text>The employment credit or the self-employment credit provided in this section is in addition to any deduction otherwise allowable with respect to compensation actually paid to a qualified employee, qualified replacement employee, or qualified self-employed taxpayer during any period the qualified employee or qualified self-employed taxpayer participates in qualified reserve component duty to the exclusion of normal employment duties.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H0EC5F0B1651E459898D83F065C86205C"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Coordination with other credits</header><text>The amount of credit otherwise allowable under sections 51(a) and 1396(a) with respect to any employee shall be reduced by the credit allowed by this section with respect to such employee.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H81B9D0AC02494C60B9F4F31F3EC5C76E"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Limitations</header> <paragraph id="H464E3018AE404CBF9FEBF602E00023"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Application with other credits</header><text>The credit allowed under subsection (a) for any taxable year shall not exceed the excess (if any) of—</text> <subparagraph id="H5CC8259CFE1945FB8B52BD007D661E78"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the regular tax for the taxable year reduced by the sum of the credits allowable under subpart A and sections 27, 29, and 30, over</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1EEF804CC65B408D88DDB600EFFD139F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the tentative minimum tax for the taxable year.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H007E17A013C34ECD98B8C792FC6BC66B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Disallowance for failure to comply with employment or reemployment rights of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States</header><text>No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) to a taxpayer for—</text> <subparagraph id="H9E163B0230A44600A5456025365FB031"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any taxable year, beginning after the date of the enactment of this section, in which the taxpayer is under a final order, judgment, or other process issued or required by a district court of the United States under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/4323">section 4323</external-xref> of title 38 of the United States Code with respect to a violation of chapter 43 of such title, and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF266332CA04E40DEB4FAD512F95D8CF7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the 2 succeeding taxable years.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9E821AEC19EB43DDAFFEFCB17ED4703B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Disallowance with respect to persons ordered to active duty for training</header><text>No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) to a taxpayer with respect to any period by taking into account any person who is called or ordered to active duty for any of the following types of duty:</text> <subparagraph id="HA4FD7129DCA1452581B33BA41FA7DBAB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Active duty for training under any provision of title 10, United States Code.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H19F91212E2A84CB491B0455CBFE7460"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Training at encampments, maneuvers, outdoor target practice, or other exercises under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/32/5">chapter 5</external-xref> of title 32, United States Code.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H87F1CEB6C44F4B879CBE4B7FEB7BD3C3"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Full-time National Guard duty, as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/101">section 101(d)(5)</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H43A87D2C3CAD408ABA21A74272FBA31F"><enum>(g)</enum><header>General definitions and special rules</header><text>For purposes of this section—</text> <paragraph id="H38A85B17F2544190B96F5EF0F3E000DE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Small business employer</header> <subparagraph id="H9099E87C386146DFBB0441CCB7CB2B3B"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>small business employer</term> means, with respect to any taxable year, any employer who employed an average of 50 or fewer employees on business days during such taxable year.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H629F0DA2D7B94965B3A6532041C1B914"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Controlled groups</header><text>For purposes of subparagraph (A), all persons treated as a single employer under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of section 414 shall be treated as a single employer.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2E78E3B184F5432E9E707661A42C008D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Military pay and allowances</header><text>The term <term>military pay</term> means pay as that term is defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/37/101">section 101(21)</external-xref> of title 37, United States Code, and the term <term>allowances</term> means the allowances payable to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States under chapter 7 of that title.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H93FA496DA9484EF5B0216205E522043D"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Qualified reserve component duty</header><text>The term <term>qualified reserve component duty</term> includes only active duty performed, as designated in the reservist’s military orders, in support of a contingency operation as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/101">section 101(a)(13)</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H4AFB9CBA44C94380AC81B6E4748140C9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Special rule for certain manufacturers</header> <subparagraph id="HC1DD69F1C4FB45EFB9F76D18FE2A0DA"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>In the case of any qualified manufacturer, paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be applied by substituting <quote>100</quote> for <quote>50</quote>.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HAE2B6B327008416BB7D289A1BFB3F57B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Qualified manufacturer</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>qualified manufacturer</term> means any person if—</text> <clause id="HC97404E2E9854486BF7FDCEF44237198"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the primary business of such person is classified in sector 31, 32, or 33 of the North American Industrial Classification System, and</text></clause> <clause id="H85EB64A200AA448096BC0000A402F95F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>all of such person’s facilities which are used for production in such business are located in the United States.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HDD8752C885074264BFD9937FDE94E2BC"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Carryback and carryforward allowed</header> <subparagraph id="HB7C43784876C46258F71748DF37F0070"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If the credit allowable under subsection (a) for a taxable year exceeds the amount of the limitation under subsection (f)(1) for such taxable year (in this paragraph referred to as the <quote>unused credit year</quote>), such excess shall be a credit carryback to each of the 3 taxable years preceding the unused credit year and a credit carryforward to each of the 20 taxable years following the unused credit year.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HEFBEB93F9E0D42A1AFCB5ED09CFBAAAC"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Rules</header><text>Rules similar to the rules of section 39 shall apply with respect to the credit carryback and credit carryforward under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCF895CE91BCD4915B2583CDF5BED1D6"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Certain rules to apply</header><text>Rules similar to the rules of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of section 52 shall apply.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HBC3807C1B6EC4D429E2BC61C61CF1651"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/55">Section 55(c)(2)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting <quote>30B(f)(1),</quote> after <quote>30(b)(3),</quote>.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HA2E6CA27A87A44E0B8AE73E4C3C70198"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections for subpart B of part IV of subchapter A of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/26/1">chapter 1</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end of 30A the following new item:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H307D47DD686F4F0DB79B2F344F55742B" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <toc container-level="quoted-block-container" quoted-block="no-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" idref="HC50A3F265E254E31B114281B5B82D531" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded"> <toc-entry idref="HF4F8FEDD70B149DDAFF87D11E02F5608" level="section">Sec. 30B. Employer wage credit for activated military reservists</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H2B17969DD3044FA88483F8B9B2998CE6"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2004.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H83D4E68A8ED54E0E8034A519467B8700" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>625.</enum><header>Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services</header> <subsection id="H7595F534F1EB4AD188E25075E44B40AA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/3121">Section 3121</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H91D7BD4A9D3E444EB5D0C4E0A601E600"> <subsection id="HB90D5E94D5C1419DAC88AF4C45ABB430"><enum>(z)</enum><header>Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in any paragraph of subsection (a) (other than paragraphs (1) and (5)) shall exclude from the term <term>wages</term> any employer payment on behalf of an individual to an individual retirement plan if such payment is made by the employer to such plan with respect to any period during which the individual is performing service in the uniformed services while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HBD48370CE5854EBB9429A330BE873E03"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Railroad Retirement</header><text>Subsection (e) of Section 3231 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7F4CFF8D49364225A2199810C5002DC9"> <paragraph id="HAFC4BCFBCD834333BC341000AEEB9D6"><enum>(13)</enum><header>Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in any paragraph of this subsection (other than paragraph (2)) shall exclude from the term <term>compensation</term> any amount described in section 3121(z).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HA3C14565FA4945C985D5EE5C7330E115"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Federal unemployment tax</header><text>Section 3306 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDFBF84D6930544219E898BF15BD4489"> <subsection id="H312A206B09EC4F98A82E60001BF90002"><enum>(v)</enum><header>Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in any paragraph of subsection (b) (other than paragraphs (1) and (5)) shall exclude from the term <term>wages</term> any employer payment on behalf of an individual to an individual retirement plan if such payment is made by the employer to such plan with respect to any period during which the individual is performing service in the uniformed services while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H27B0B77B0CF740B68188217CB005A300"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Withholding</header><text>Section 3401 of such Code, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H214838AEAF2C4AC8A738C8707B779FD6"> <subsection id="HAE0E64D5BFA34FB784522DC78700332C"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Employer contributions to IRAs of certain members of the uniformed services</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in any paragraph of subsection (a) (other than paragraph (12)) shall exclude from the term <term>wages</term> any amount described in section 3121(z).</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H06357CA86D244AFAA4577B2550CE561E"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to amounts paid after December 31, 2004.</text></subsection></section></subtitle> <enum>VII</enum><header>Funding</header> <section id="HEACC2575428F49C1AB4848CF10A49DC9"><enum>701.</enum><header>Repeal of 2001 tax cut for high income taxpayers</header> <subsection id="H498F50F43555404D969000C2E864129E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/1">Section 1</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H3C8F6B94CE534492BC49A089D54BC7F4" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subsection id="H612312E3D06F4DE7B7A936FD9547267"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Repeal of 2001 tax cut for high income taxpayers</header><text>The amount determined under subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d), as the case may be, shall be increased by 4.6 percent of so much of taxable income as exceeds $1,000,000 in the case of individuals to whom subsection (a) applies ($500,000 in any other case).</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HFF6AA0D140B84B1887957979324838A7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H619B8C2C73574F679282B2FE92F4CAC"><enum>702.</enum><header>Repeal of scheduled termination of phaseout of personal exemptions</header> <subsection id="H5C6314D7427649C6B5EF3CCB5B8524C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Paragraph (3) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/151">section 151(d)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking subparagraphs (E) and (F).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H772B947958674DD8A31983EA6C921D52"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H8FE8C857890E462AB644496ED42574D"><enum>703.</enum><header>Repeal of scheduled phaseout of overall limitation on itemized deductions</header> <subsection id="HA92268D3A0944307A7ED5E9F8ED9705F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/68">Section 68</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking subsections (f) and (g).</text></subsection> <subsection id="HD9A836EDECC044AD9BE324336BF900AA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.</text></subsection></section>