[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 475 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 475

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
            educational assistance, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2015

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
            educational 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 ``GI Bill Processing Improvement Act 
of 2015''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF THE VETERANS BENEFITS 
              ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Processing of Certain Educational Assistance Claims.--The 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, to the maximum extent possible, 
make such changes and improvements to the information technology system 
of the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to ensure that--
            (1) to the maximum extent possible, all original and 
        supplemental claims for educational assistance under chapter 33 
        of title 38, United States Code, are adjudicated 
        electronically; and
            (2) rules-based processing is used to make decisions with 
        respect to such claims with little human intervention.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to Congress a report on the changes made pursuant to the requirements 
of subsection (a).
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $30,000,000 to carry 
out this section during fiscal years 2015 and 2016.

SEC. 3. APPROVAL OF COURSES OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY PUBLIC 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR PURPOSES OF ALL-
              VOLUNTEER FORCE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND POST-
              9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE CONDITIONAL ON IN-STATE 
              TUITION RATE FOR VETERANS.

    (a) Extension of Effective Date.--Section 702(b) of the Veterans 
Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146) is 
amended by striking ``July 1, 2015'' and inserting ``July 1, 2016''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Section 3679(c)(2)(B) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``or 3319'' and all that follows 
and inserting ``of this title or to whom educational assistance is 
transferred under section 3319 of this title''.

SEC. 4. RECODIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELECTION PROCESS FOR POST-9/
              11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 33 is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3326. Election to receive educational assistance
    ``(a) Individuals Eligible To Elect Participation in Post-9/11 
Educational Assistance.--An individual may elect to receive educational 
assistance under this chapter if such individual--
            ``(1) as of August 1, 2009--
                    ``(A) is entitled to basic educational assistance 
                under chapter 30 of the title and has used, but retains 
                unused, entitlement under that chapter;
                    ``(B) is entitled to educational assistance under 
                chapter 107, 1606, or 1607 of title 10 and has used, 
                but retains unused, entitlement under the applicable 
                chapter;
                    ``(C) is entitled to basic educational assistance 
                under chapter 30 of this title but has not used any 
                entitlement under that chapter;
                    ``(D) is entitled to educational assistance under 
                chapter 107, 1606, or 1607 of title 10 but has not used 
                any entitlement under such chapter;
                    ``(E) is a member of the Armed Forces who is 
                eligible for receipt of basic educational assistance 
                under chapter 30 this title and is making contributions 
                toward such assistance under section 3011(b) or 3012(c) 
                of this title; or
                    ``(F) is a member of the Armed Forces who is not 
                entitled to basic educational assistance under chapter 
                30 of this title by reason of an election under section 
                3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1) of this title; and
            ``(2) as of the date of the individual's election under 
        this paragraph, meets the requirements for entitlement to 
        educational assistance under this chapter.
    ``(b) Cessation of Contributions Toward GI Bill.--Effective as of 
the first month beginning on or after the date of an election under 
subsection (a) of an individual described by paragraph (1)(E) of that 
subsection, the obligation of the individual to make contributions 
under section 3011(b) or 3012(c) of this title, as applicable, shall 
cease, and the requirements of such section shall be deemed to be no 
longer applicable to the individual.
    ``(c) Revocation of Remaining Transferred Entitlement.--
            ``(1) Election to revoke.--If, on the date an individual 
        described in paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(C) of subsection (a) makes 
        an election under that subsection, a transfer of the 
        entitlement of the individual to basic educational assistance 
        under section 3020 of this title is in effect and a number of 
        months of the entitlement so transferred remain unutilized, the 
        individual may elect to revoke all or a portion of the 
        entitlement so transferred that remains unutilized.
            ``(2) Availability of revoked entitlement.--Any entitlement 
        revoked by an individual under this paragraph shall no longer 
        be available to the dependent to whom transferred, but shall be 
        available to the individual instead for educational assistance 
        under chapter 33 of this title in accordance with the 
        provisions of this section.
            ``(3) Availability of unrevoked entitlement.--Any 
        entitlement described in paragraph (1) that is not revoked by 
        an individual in accordance with that paragraph shall remain 
        available to the dependent or dependents concerned in 
        accordance with the current transfer of such entitlement under 
        section 3020 of this title.
    ``(d) Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2) and except as 
        provided in subsection (e), an individual making an election 
        under subsection (a) shall be entitled to educational 
        assistance under this chapter in accordance with the provisions 
        of this chapter, instead of basic educational assistance under 
        chapter 30 this title, or educational assistance under chapter 
        107, 1606, or 1607 of title 10, as applicable.
            ``(2) Limitation on entitlement for certain individuals.--
        In the case of an individual making an election under 
        subsection (a) who is described by paragraph (1)(A) of that 
        subsection, the number of months of entitlement of the 
        individual to educational assistance under this chapter 33 
        shall be the number of months equal to--
                    ``(A) the number of months of unused entitlement of 
                the individual under chapter 30 of this title, as of 
                the date of the election, plus
                    ``(B) the number of months, if any, of entitlement 
                revoked by the individual under subsection (c)(1).
    ``(e) Continuing Entitlement to Educational Assistance Not 
Available Under 9/11 Assistance Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the event educational assistance to 
        which an individual making an election under subsection (a) 
        would be entitled under chapter 30 of this title, or chapter 
        107, 1606, or 1607 of title 10, as applicable, is not 
        authorized to be available to the individual under the 
        provisions of this chapter the individual shall remain entitled 
        to such educational assistance in accordance with the 
        provisions of the applicable chapter.
            ``(2) Charge for use of entitlement.--The utilization by an 
        individual of entitlement under paragraph (1) shall be 
        chargeable against the entitlement of the individual to 
        educational assistance under this chapter at the rate of one 
        month of entitlement under this chapter for each month of 
        entitlement utilized by the individual under paragraph (1) (as 
        determined as if such entitlement were utilized under the 
        provisions of chapter 30 of this title, or chapter 107, 1606, 
        or 1607 of title 10, as applicable).
    ``(f) Additional Post-9/11 Assistance for Members Having Made 
Contributions Toward GI Bill.--
            ``(1) Additional assistance.--In the case of an individual 
        making an election under subsection (a) who is described by 
        subparagraph (A), (C), or (E) of paragraph (1) of that 
        subsection, the amount of educational assistance payable to the 
        individual under this chapter 33 as a monthly stipend payable 
        under paragraph (1)(B) of section 3313(c) of this title, or 
        under paragraphs (2) through (7) of that section (as 
        applicable), shall be the amount otherwise payable as a monthly 
        stipend under the applicable paragraph increased by the amount 
        equal to--
                    ``(A) the total amount of contributions toward 
                basic educational assistance made by the individual 
                under section 3011(b) or 3012(c) of this title, as of 
                the date of the election, multiplied by
                    ``(B) the fraction--
                            ``(i) the numerator of which is--
                                    ``(I) the number of months of 
                                entitlement to basic educational 
                                assistance under chapter 30 of this 
                                title remaining to the individual at 
                                the time of the election; plus
                                    ``(II) the number of months, if 
                                any, of entitlement under such chapter 
                                30 revoked by the individual under 
                                subsection (c)(1); and
                            ``(ii) the denominator of which is 36 
                        months.
            ``(2) Months of remaining entitlement for certain 
        individuals.--In the case of an individual covered by paragraph 
        (1) who is described by subsection (a)(1)(E), the number of 
        months of entitlement to basic educational assistance remaining 
        to the individual for purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(i)(II) shall 
        be 36 months.
            ``(3) Timing of payment.--The amount payable with respect 
        to an individual under paragraph (1) shall be paid to the 
        individual together with the last payment of the monthly 
        stipend payable to the individual under paragraph (1)(B) of 
        section 3313(c) of this title, or under subsections (b) through 
        (g) of that section (as applicable), before the exhaustion of 
        the individual's entitlement to educational assistance under 
        this chapter.
    ``(g) Continuing Entitlement to Additional Assistance for Critical 
Skills or Speciality and Additional Service.--An individual making an 
election under subsection (a)(1) who, at the time of the election, is 
entitled to increased educational assistance under section 3015(d) of 
this title, or section 16131(i) of title 10, or supplemental 
educational assistance under subchapter III of chapter 30 of this 
title, shall remain entitled to such increased educational assistance 
or supplemental educational assistance in the utilization of 
entitlement to educational assistance under this chapter, in an amount 
equal to the quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, equivalent of 
the monthly amount of such increased educational assistance or 
supplemental educational assistance payable with respect to the 
individual at the time of the election.
    ``(h) Alternative Election by Secretary.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the case of an individual who, on or 
        after January 1, 2016, submits to the Secretary an election 
        under this section that the Secretary determines is clearly 
        against the interests of the individual, the Secretary may make 
        an alternative election on behalf of the individual that the 
        Secretary determines is in the best interests of the 
        individual.
            ``(2) Notice.--If the Secretary makes an election on behalf 
        of an individual under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        notify the individual by not later than seven days after making 
        such election and shall provide the individual with a 30-day 
        period, beginning on the date of the individual's receipt of 
        such notice, during which the individual may modify or revoke 
        the election made by the Secretary on the individual's behalf. 
        The Secretary shall include, as part of such notice, a clear 
        statement of why the alternative election made by the Secretary 
        is in the best interests of the individual as compared to the 
        election submitted by the individual. The Secretary shall 
        provide the notice required under this paragraph by electronic 
        means whenever possible.
    ``(i) Irrevocability of Elections.--An election under subsection 
(a) or (c)(1) is irrevocable.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``3326. Election to receive educational assistance.''.
    (c) Conforming Repeal.--Subsection (c) of section 5003 of the Post-
9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-252; 
38 U.S.C. 3301 note) is hereby repealed.

SEC. 5. CENTRALIZED REPORTING OF VETERAN ENROLLMENT BY CERTAIN GROUPS, 
              DISTRICTS, AND CONSORTIUMS OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3684(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``32, 33,'' after 
        ``31,''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term `educational 
institution' may include a group, district, or consortium of separately 
accredited educational institutions located in the same State that are 
organized in a manner that facilitates the centralized reporting of the 
enrollments in such group, district, or consortium of institutions.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to reports submitted on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. PROVISION OF INFORMATION REGARDING VETERAN ENTITLEMENT TO 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3699. Provision of certain information to educational 
              institutions
    ``For each veteran or other individual pursuing a course of 
education that has been approved under this chapter using educational 
assistance to which the veteran or other individual is entitled under 
chapter 30, 32, 33, or 35 of this title, the Secretary shall make 
available to the educational institution offering the course 
information about the amount of such educational assistance to which 
the veteran or other individual is entitled. Such information shall be 
provided to such educational institution through an Internet website 
and shall be regularly updated to reflect any amounts used by the 
veteran or other individual.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
3698 the following new item:

``3699. Provision of certain information to educational 
                            institutions.''.
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