[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5178 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 563
114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5178

                          [Report No. 114-727]

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide educational and vocational counseling for 
veterans on campuses of institutions of higher learning, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 2016

   Mr. Wenstrup (for himself, Mr. Takano, and Miss Rice of New York) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

                           September 7, 2016

                   Additional sponsor: Mrs. Radewagen

                           September 7, 2016

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 10, 
                                 2016]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide educational and vocational counseling for 
veterans on campuses of institutions of higher learning, 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 ``Veterans Success on Campus Act of 
2016''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF ON-CAMPUS 
              EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL COUNSELING FOR VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 3697A the following new section:
``Sec. 3697B. On-campus educational and vocational counseling
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide educational and 
vocational counseling services for veterans at locations on the 
campuses of institutions of higher learning selected by the Secretary. 
Such counseling services shall be provided by employees of the 
Department who provide such services under section 3697A of this title.
    ``(b) Selection of Locations.--(1) To be selected by the Secretary 
under this section, an institution of higher learning shall provide an 
appropriate space on the campus of the institution where counseling 
services can be provided under this section.
    ``(2) In selecting locations for the provision of counseling 
services under this section, the Secretary shall seek to select 
locations where the maximum number of veterans would have access to 
such services.
    ``(c) Annual Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, and each year thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the counseling services provided 
under this section. Such report shall include, for the year covered by 
the report--
            ``(1) the average ratio of counselors providing such 
        services to veterans who received such services at each 
        location where such services were provided;
            ``(2) a description of such services provided;
            ``(3) the recommendations of the Secretary for improving 
        the provision of such services; and
            ``(4) any other matters the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
3697A the following new item:

``3697B. On-campus educational and vocational counseling.''.

SEC. 3. CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT FOR CERTAIN LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION 
              TESTS AND NATIONAL TESTS UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Licensure and Certification Tests.--Section 3315(c) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``shall be determined'' 
and all that follows and inserting ``shall be pro-rated based on the 
actual amount of the fee charged for the test.''.
    (b) National Tests.--Section 3315A of such title is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(3) A national test that evaluates prior learning and 
        knowledge and provides an opportunity for course credit at an 
        institution of higher learning as so described.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``shall be determined'' 
        and all that follows and inserting ``shall be pro-rated based 
        on the actual amount of the fee charged for the test.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
a test taken after the date that is 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN RATES PAYABLE UNDER 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) All-Volunteer Force.--Section 3015(h)(2) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``fiscal year 2014'' and inserting ``fiscal 
        year 2025''; and
            (2) by striking ``fiscal year 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal 
        year 2024''.
    (b) Survivors and Dependents.--Section 3564(b) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``fiscal year 2014'' and inserting ``fiscal 
        year 2025''; and
            (2) by striking ``fiscal year 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal 
        year 2024''.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR VETERANS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 
              EDUCATION.

    Section 3692(c) of such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 
2016'' and inserting ``December 31, 2021''.

SEC. 6. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS.

    (a) Training Requirement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
in consultation with the State approving agencies, set forth 
requirements relating to training for school certifying officials 
employed by covered educational institutions offering courses of 
education approved under chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code. If 
a covered educational institution does not ensure that a school 
certifying official employed by the educational institution meets such 
requirements, the Secretary may disapprove any course of education 
offered by such educational institution.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered educational institution'' means an 
        educational institution that has enrolled 20 or more 
        individuals using educational assistance under title 38, United 
        States Code.
            (2) The term ``school certifying official'' means an 
        employee of an educational institution with primary 
        responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
        educational institution.
            (3) The term ``State approving agency'' means a department 
        or agency of a State designated under section 3671 of title 38, 
        United States Code.

SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON USE OF REPORTING FEES PAYABLE TO EDUCATIONAL 
              INSTITUTIONS AND JOINT APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING 
              COMMITTEES.

    Section 3684(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``(c)(1) The Secretary may pay to any educational institution, or 
to the sponsor of a program of apprenticeship, furnishing education or 
training under either this chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this 
title, a reporting fee which will be in lieu of any other compensation 
or reimbursement for reports or certifications which such educational 
institution or joint apprenticeship training committee is required to 
submit to the Secretary by law or regulation.
    ``(2) Such reporting fee shall be computed for each calendar year 
by multiplying $12 by the number of eligible veterans or eligible 
persons enrolled under this chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this 
title, or $15 in the case of those eligible veterans and eligible 
persons whose educational assistance checks are directed in care of 
each institution for temporary custody and delivery and are delivered 
at the time of registration as provided under section 3680(d)(4) of 
this title, during the calendar year. The reporting fee shall be paid 
to such educational institution or joint apprenticeship training 
committee as soon as feasible after the end of the calendar year for 
which it is applicable.
    ``(3) No reporting fee payable to an educational institution under 
this subsection shall be subject to offset by the Secretary against any 
liability of such institution for any overpayment for which such 
institution may be administratively determined to be liable under 
section 3685 of this title unless such liability is not contested by 
such institution or has been upheld by a final decree of a court of 
appropriate jurisdiction.
    ``(4) Any reporting fee paid to an educational institution or joint 
apprenticeship training committee after the date of the enactment of 
the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2011 
(Public Law 111-377)--
            ``(A) shall be utilized by such institution or committee 
        solely for the making of certifications required under this 
        chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title or for otherwise 
        supporting programs for veterans; and
            ``(B) with respect to an institution that has 75 or more 
        enrollees described in paragraph (2), may not be used for or 
        merged with amounts available for the general fund of the 
        educational institution or joint apprenticeship training 
        committee.
    ``(5) The reporting fee payable under this subsection shall be paid 
from amounts appropriated for readjustment benefits.''.

SEC. 8. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INSPECTOR GENERAL HEIGHTENED 
              SCRUTINY OF PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION.

    (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. Inspector General heightened scrutiny of programs of 
              education
    ``(a) Heightened Scrutiny Required.--The Inspector General of the 
Department shall apply heightened scrutiny to any program of education 
if any Federal or State agency has made a final judgment or settlement 
that the program of education used deceptive or misleading practices 
that are potentially in violation of section 3696 of this title.
    ``(b) Notice to Students.--(1) Upon commencement of heightened 
scrutiny with respect to a program of education under this section, the 
Secretary shall provide notice of the heightened scrutiny and the 
reasons for such heightened scrutiny to any individual who--
            ``(A) is enrolled in a course of education approved under 
        this chapter provided by the program of education; and
            ``(B) is entitled to educational assistance under the laws 
        administered by the Secretary.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall provide to any individual who receives 
notice under this subsection advice that the individual--
            ``(A) request a copy of the individual's transcript; and
            ``(B) seek counseling from an appropriate advisor about 
        transferring any credits earned at the program of education.
    ``(c) Monitoring of Allegations.--The Secretary shall monitor 
allegations of deceptive and misleading practices made against programs 
of education offering courses of education approved for purposes of 
this chapter, including Federal and State investigations. The Secretary 
shall include information about any such allegation on the GI Bill 
Comparison Tool, or any similar Internet website of the Department.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to 
subchapter II the following new item:

``3699. Inspector General heightened scrutiny of programs of 
                            education.''.

SEC. 9. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DISAPPROVAL OF COURSES OF 
              EDUCATION OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING 
              ACCUSED OF CERTAIN DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING PRACTICES.

    Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) The Secretary shall disapprove a course of education 
provided by an institution of higher learning if the Secretary 
determines pursuant to heightened scrutiny applied by the Inspector 
General under section 3699 of this title that the institution of higher 
learning has engaged in practices that are in violation of section 3696 
of this title.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall provide counseling services to 
individuals enrolled in a course of education disapproved under 
paragraph (1) to assist such individuals in transferring to another 
institution of higher learning.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 563

114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 5178

                          [Report No. 114-727]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide educational and vocational counseling for 
veterans on campuses of institutions of higher learning, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 7, 2016

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed