110 HR 1240 IH: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-02-28
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.
1.Visual impairment and
orientation and mobility professionals education assistance program
(a)Part V of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
chapter:
80Visual Impairment
and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Education Assistance
Program
Sec.
8001. Establishment of scholarship
program; purpose.
8002. Application and
acceptance.
8003. Amount of assistance;
duration.
8004. Agreement.
8005. Repayment for failure to satisfy
requirements of agreement.
8001.Establishment
of scholarship program; purpose
(a)Subject
to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall establish and carry
out a scholarship program to provide financial assistance in accordance with
this chapter to an individual—
(1)who is accepted
for enrollment or currently enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree
or certificate in visual impairment or orientation and mobility, or a dual
degree or certification in both such areas, at an accredited (as determined by
the Secretary) educational institution that is in a State; and
(2)who enters into an
agreement with the Secretary as described in section 8004 of this
chapter.
(b)The
purpose of the scholarship program established under this chapter is to
increase the supply of qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for the
Department and the Nation.
(c)The
Secretary shall publicize the scholarship program established under this
chapter to educational institutions throughout the United States, with an
emphasis on disseminating information to such institutions with high numbers of
Hispanic students and to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
8002.Application and
acceptance
(a)(1)To apply and participate
in the scholarship program under this chapter, an individual shall submit to
the Secretary an application for such participation together with an agreement
described in section 8004 of this chapter under which the participant agrees to
serve a period of obligated service in the Department as provided in the
agreement in return for payment of educational assistance as provided in the
agreement.
(2)In distributing application forms and
agreement forms to individuals desiring to participate in the scholarship
program, the Secretary shall include with such forms the following:
(A)A fair summary of the rights and
liabilities of an individual whose application is approved (and whose agreement
is accepted) by the Secretary.
(B)A full description of the terms and
conditions that apply to participation in the scholarship program and service
in the Department.
(b)(1)Upon the Secretary’s
approval of an individual’s participation in the scholarship program, the
Secretary shall, in writing, promptly notify the individual of that
acceptance.
(2)An individual becomes a participant
in the scholarship program upon such approval by the Secretary.
8003.Amount of
assistance; duration
(a)The amount of the financial assistance provided for an
individual under this chapter shall be the amount determined by the Secretary
as being necessary to pay the tuition and fees of the individual. In the case
of an individual enrolled in a program of study leading to a dual degree or
certification in both the areas of study described in section 8001(a)(1) of
this chapter, the tuition and fees shall not exceed the amounts necessary for
the minimum number of credit hours to achieve such dual certification or
degree.
(b)Relationship to
other assistanceFinancial assistance may be provided to an
individual under this chapter to supplement other educational assistance to the
extent that the total amount of educational assistance received by the
individual during an academic year does not exceed the total tuition and fees
for such academic year.
(c)Maximum amount
of assistance(1)In no case may the total
amount of assistance provided under this chapter for an academic year to an
individual who is a full-time student exceed $15,000.
(2)In the case of an individual who is a
part-time student, the total amount of assistance provided under this chapter
shall bear the same ratio to the amount that would be paid under paragraph (1)
if the participant were a full-time student in the program of study being
pursued by the individual as the coursework carried by the individual to
full-time coursework in that program of study.
(3)In no case may the total amount of
assistance provided to an individual under this chapter exceed $45,000.
(d)Maximum duration
of assistanceThe Secretary may provide financial assistance to
an individual under this chapter for not more than six years.
8004.An agreement between the Secretary and a
participant in the scholarship program under this chapter shall be in writing,
shall be signed by the participant, and shall include—
(1)the Secretary’s
agreement to provide the participant with financial assistance as authorized
under this chapter;
(2)the participant’s
agreement—
(A)to accept such
financial assistance;
(B)to maintain
enrollment and attendance in the program of study described in section
8001(a)(1) of this chapter;
(C)while enrolled in
such program, to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as
determined by the educational institution offering such program under
regulations prescribed by the Secretary); and
(D)after completion of
the program, to serve as a full-time employee in the Department for a period of
three years, to be served within the first six years after the participant has
completed such program and received a degree or certificate described in
section 8001(a)(1) of this chapter; and
(3)any other terms
and conditions that the Secretary determines appropriate for carrying out this
chapter.
8005.Repayment for
failure to satisfy requirements of agreement
(a)An individual who receives educational assistance under
this chapter shall repay to the Secretary an amount equal to the unearned
portion of such assistance if the individual fails to satisfy the requirements
of the agreement entered into under section 8004 of this chapter, except in
circumstances authorized by the Secretary.
(b)The Secretary shall establish, by regulations,
procedures for determining the amount of the repayment required under this
subsection and the circumstances under which an exception to the required
repayment may be granted.
(c)Waiver or
suspension of complianceThe Secretary shall prescribe
regulations providing for the waiver or suspension of any obligation of an
individual for service or payment under this chapter (or an agreement under
this chapter) whenever noncompliance by the individual is due to circumstances
beyond the control of the individual or whenever the Secretary determines that
the waiver or suspension of compliance is in the best interest of the United
States.
(d)Obligation as
debt to United StatesAn obligation to repay the Secretary under
this section is, for all purposes, a debt owed the United States. A discharge
in bankruptcy under title 11 does not discharge a person from such debt if the
discharge order is entered less than five years after the date of the
termination of the agreement or contract on which the debt is
based.
.
(b)The tables of
chapters at the beginning of title 38, and of part V of title 38, are each
amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 79 the following new
item:
80.Visual
Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Education Assistance
Program8001.
.
2.The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall implement chapter 80 of title 38, United States Code, as added by
section 1, not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this
Act.