[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4818 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4818

 To amend title 10, United States Code, to codify the Military Spouse 
   Career Advancement Account program conducted by the Department of 
  Defense to assist spouses of members of the Armed Forces serving on 
active duty to pursue educational opportunities and career training, to 
 ensure that such educational opportunities and training are available 
            to all military spouses, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2014

   Mr. Murphy of Florida (for himself and Mr. Cramer) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 10, United States Code, to codify the Military Spouse 
   Career Advancement Account program conducted by the Department of 
  Defense to assist spouses of members of the Armed Forces serving on 
active duty to pursue educational opportunities and career training, to 
 ensure that such educational opportunities and training are available 
            to all military spouses, 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 ``Military Spouse Career Advancement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. MILITARY SPOUSE CAREER ADVANCEMENT ACCOUNT PROGRAM.

    (a) Codification of MyCAA Program.--Subsection (a) of section 1784a 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
    ``(3)(A) As one of the programs established under this section to 
assist spouses of members of the armed forces, the Secretary shall 
continue to carry out the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account 
(MyCAA) program, under which an eligible spouse may receive up to the 
amount that the Secretary determines is equal to the average amount of 
in-state tuition at public four-year colleges and universities located 
in the State in which the spouse resides in tuition assistance for 
education and training courses and licensing and credentialing fees.
    ``(B) Financial assistance provided under the MyCAA program shall 
be available to cover the costs of the following:
            ``(i) State certifications for teachers, medical 
        professionals, and other occupations requiring recognized 
        certifications.
            ``(ii) Licensing exams and related preparation courses.
            ``(iii) Continuing education classes, including classes 
        offered through professional associations.
            ``(iv) Degree programs, including programs at four-year 
        colleges and universities, leading to employment in portable 
        careers.
            ``(v) Secondary education completion courses, GED tests, 
        and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
    ``(C) Financial assistance provided under the MyCAA program may not 
be used to pay for computers, application, graduation or membership 
fees, student activity cards, child care, parking, transportation, or 
medical services.
    ``(D) An eligible spouse must obtain an approved MyCAA Financial 
Assistance document before incurring the tuition fees for which payment 
under the program is sought. The MyCAA program does not provide 
reimbursements of any kind to spouses for any reason. Once the eligible 
spouse obtains the MyCAA Financial Assistance document, the spouse must 
commence the education or training courses for which assistance is 
sought under the program while the member of the armed forces who is 
married to the spouse is serving on active duty.''.
    (b) Guarantee of Education and Training Opportunities for Military 
Spouses.--Subsection (a)(1) of such section is amended by striking 
``may establish'' and inserting ``shall establish''.
    (c) Eligible Military Spouses.--Subsection (b) of such section is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Assistance''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) The Secretary of Defense may not restrict participation in 
the MyCAA program required by subsection (a)(3) to the spouses of 
members serving in particular grades. Instead, subject to the 
availability of funds for the MyCAA program, the Secretary shall make 
the MyCAA program available to all eligible spouses.''.
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