[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4052 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4052

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to establish an honorary Excellence in Veterans 
                            Education Award.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 16, 2012

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to establish an honorary Excellence in Veterans 
                            Education Award.

    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 ``Recognizing Excellence in Veterans 
Education Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. EXCELLENCE IN VETERANS EDUCATION AWARD.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3698. Excellence in Veterans Education Award
    ``(a) Excellence in Veterans Education Award.--(1) The Secretary 
shall establish an honorary award, to be known as the `Excellence in 
Veterans Education Award', to recognize institutions of higher learning 
(as defined in section 3452(f) of this title) that provide superior 
services to veterans.
    ``(2) An Excellence in Veterans Education Award awarded under 
paragraph (1) to an institution of higher learning shall be valid for a 
period of three years, except that the Secretary may withdraw such 
award at any time under criteria the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(b) Display of Honorary Award.--During each period in which an 
institution of higher learning is awarded an Excellence in Veterans 
Education Award under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall indicate 
that such institution has received such award on the list of 
institutions approved for veteran education benefits that is maintained 
on the Internet website of the Department.
    ``(c) Criteria.--The Secretary may only award the Excellence in 
Veterans Education Award under subsection (a)(1) to an institution of 
higher learning that meets the following criteria:
            ``(1) The head of the institution--
                    ``(A) has a student veteran advisory board or a 
                student veteran advisor; and
                    ``(B) seeks advice from such board or advisor.
            ``(2) The institution--
                    ``(A) participates in the Yellow Ribbon G.I. 
                Education Enhancement Program under section 3317 of 
                this title; and
                    ``(B) while so participating--
                            ``(i) contributes the maximum amount under 
                        section 3317(d)(1); and
                            ``(ii) ensures that amounts contributed 
                        under such section are made available to all 
                        veterans enrolled at the institution who 
                        qualify for the program.
            ``(3) The institution has a veterans support program that 
        provides services that--
                    ``(A) the Secretary considers appropriate; and
                    ``(B) may be carried out through the institution or 
                an appropriate entity that enters into an agreement 
                with the institution.
            ``(4) The institution is a member of the Servicemembers 
        Opportunity College.
            ``(5) The average graduation rate for all of the enrolled 
        students of the institution is equal to or greater than the 
        average national graduation rate for all students enrolled in 
        the same type of institution, as determined by the Secretary of 
        Education.
            ``(6) Any other criteria that the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
3697A the following new item:

``3698. Excellence in Veterans Education Award.''.
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