[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6766 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6766

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to public 
  institutions of higher education for the establishment of Veterans 
               Resource Centers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2018

Mr. Panetta (for himself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in 
    addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to public 
  institutions of higher education for the establishment of Veterans 
               Resource Centers, 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 Resource Center Act of 
2018''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF 
              HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
carry out a program under which the Secretary makes grants, on a 
competitive basis, to public institutions of higher education to enable 
such institutions to establish and maintain Veterans Resource Centers 
as described in subsection (d).
    (b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a public institution of higher education shall submit to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Priority Registration.--As a condition of receiving a grant 
under this section, a public institution of higher education that 
offers priority course registration to any subgroup of students who are 
in a class year shall offer priority course registration to military-
connected students who are in such class year.
    (d) Veterans Resource Center.--A public institution of higher 
education that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant 
to establish, maintain, and provide services from a Veterans Resource 
Center on the grounds of the institution. Each Veterans Resource Center 
shall be a dedicated space where military-connected students can--
            (1) socialize with each other;
            (2) meet with relevant individuals and organizations, 
        including representatives of the Armed Forces, the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Service Organizations, and 
        military student advocates; and
            (3) engage in such other activities as may benefit the 
        student, as determined by the institution.
    (e) Grant Duration and Amount.--
            (1) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be made 
        for a period of 5 years.
            (2) Amount.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        determine the maximum amount of each grant under this section.
    (f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--A public institution of higher 
education shall use a grant received under this section only to 
supplement funds that would, in the absence of such grant, be made 
available from other Federal, State, or local sources for activities 
supported by the grant, not to supplant such funds.

SEC. 3. PRIORITY RECRUITING AND ACCESS.

    To the extent determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of 
Defense, the Secretary shall ensure that covered institutions receive 
priority access to military installations for purposes of recruiting 
students, including students eligible for the Transition Assistance 
Program under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``Armed Forces'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
            (2) The term ``covered institution'' means a public 
        institution of higher education that--
                    (A) has a Veterans Resource Center (as described in 
                section 2(d)); and
                    (B) offers priority course registration to 
                military-connected students (as described in section 
                2(c)).
            (3) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) The term ``military-connected student'' means a student 
        who is a member of the Armed Forces or a veteran.
            (5) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in 
        section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.
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