[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1821 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1821

   To amend chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, to increase 
  vocational rehabilitation and employment assistance, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2009

  Mr. Filner introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, to increase 
  vocational rehabilitation and employment assistance, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Equity for Injured Veterans Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

    (a) Period of Eligibility.--Section 3103(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``twelve-year'' and inserting 
``fifteen-year''.
    (b) Increased Allowance.--Section 3108 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``or (j)'' after 
        ``subsection (f)'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``two months'' and 
        inserting ``six months''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j)(1) As part of a vocational rehabilitation program under this 
chapter, a veteran who is eligible for and entitled to rehabilitation 
under this chapter may elect to pursue an approved program of education 
and receive assistance under this chapter in monthly amounts described 
under paragraph (2) to the extent that such veteran has remaining 
eligibility for and entitlement to assistance under this section, if 
the Secretary approves the educational, professional, or vocational 
objective chosen by such veteran for such program.
    ``(2) The monthly amounts a veteran may receive under paragraph 
(1)--
            ``(A) with respect to a veteran who is considered a covered 
        individual for purposes of section 3311 of this title, are the 
        amounts equal to the monthly amounts the veteran is eligible to 
        receive for educational assistance under section 3313 of this 
        title (including the monthly stipend provided under section 
        3313(c)(1)(B)); and
            ``(B) with respect to a veteran who is not considered a 
        covered individual for purposes of section 3311, are the 
        amounts equal to the monthly amounts the Secretary determines 
        would be payable to such veteran if such veteran were eligible 
        to receive educational assistance under section 3313 of this 
        title (including the monthly stipend provided under section 
        3313(c)(1)(B)).
    ``(3) In the event that such veteran makes an election under 
paragraph (1), the terms and conditions applicable to the pursuit of a 
comparable program of education and the payment of allowances and 
provision of assistance under chapter 33 of this title for such a 
comparable program shall be applied to the pursuit of the approved 
program of education under this chapter.''.
    (c) Child Care; President's Budget.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        sections:
``Sec. 3123. Child care assistance for single parents
    ``(a) In General.--Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary to carry out this section, the Secretary shall provide 
reimbursements for child care to a veteran who is--
            ``(1) participating in a vocational rehabilitation program 
        under this chapter; and
            ``(2) the sole caretaker of a child.
    ``(b) Amount and Duration.--The amount of the reimbursement for 
child care under this section shall be not more than $2,000 per month 
for each month the veteran is participating in a vocational 
rehabilitation program under this chapter.
``Sec. 3124. Information included in support of President's budget
    ``The Secretary shall include in documents submitted to Congress by 
the Secretary in support of the President's budget for each fiscal year 
submitted under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the 
following:
            ``(1) For the calendar year preceding the submission--
                    ``(A) the percentage of veterans receiving 
                assistance under this chapter who became employed; and
                    ``(B) the percentage of veterans receiving 
                assistance under this chapter who achieved independence 
                in daily living.
            ``(2) Any changes made by the Secretary in measuring or 
        calculating the performance of the department under this 
        chapter.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is 
        amended by adding at the end the following:

``3123. Child care assistance for single parents.
``3124. Information included in support of President's budget.''.
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