[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3318 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3318

      To authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for 
 examinations to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions 
              of higher learning, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2018

 Mr. Coons (for himself and Mrs. Ernst) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for 
 examinations to receive credit toward degrees awarded by 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 ``Military Learning for Credit Act of 
2018''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR USE OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR 
              EXAMINATIONS TO RECEIVE CREDIT TOWARD DEGREES AWARDED BY 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

    (a) In General.--An individual who is entitled to veterans 
educational assistance may use such assistance to cover the costs of 
examinations to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions 
of higher learning for approved programs of education.
    (b) Veterans Educational Assistance.--For purposes of this section, 
veterans educational assistance is educational assistance available to 
veterans and other eligible individuals under the provisions of law as 
follows:
            (1) Chapters 30, 32, 33, 34, and 35 of title 38, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Any other provision of law providing educational 
        assistance to a veteran, or to another individual in connection 
        with the service of a veteran in the Armed Forces.
    (c) Examinations.--The examinations for which veterans educational 
assistance may be used pursuant to this section include the following:
            (1) A DANTES Subject Standardized Test Program (DSST) 
        examination.
            (2) A College Level Examination Program (CLEP) examination.
            (3) The National Career Readiness Certificate examination.
            (4) Any other examination of a similar nature to an exam 
        specified in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) specified by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of this section.
            (5) Exams that require students to develop portfolios or 
        written narratives with supporting documentation that 
        demonstrate prior military training or learning.
    (d) Limitation on Amount Usable.--The total amount of veterans 
educational assistance that may be used for costs of an examination 
under subsection (a) may not exceed the lesser of--
            (1) the amount charged for the examination by the entity 
        administering the examination; or
            (2) $500.
    (e) Charge Against Entitlement.--
            (1) In general.--The number of months (or fraction thereof) 
        of entitlement charged an individual under the applicable 
        provision of law specified in subsection (b) for use of 
        veterans educational assistance for costs of an examination 
        under this section shall be equal to the quotient obtained by 
        dividing--
                    (A) the cost of the examination (as determined 
                pursuant to subsection (d)); by
                    (B) the monthly rate of veterans educational 
                assistance to which the individual is entitled under 
                such provision of law at the time of the examination.
            (2) Rule of construction.--A charge against entitlement to 
        educational assistance under a law administered by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs in order to receive assistance 
        under this section shall not be construed to affect entitlement 
        to educational assistance under a law administered by the 
        Secretary of Defense, including entitlement to educational 
        assistance under the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance 
        Program.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Approved program of education.--The term ``approved 
        program of education'' means a program of education approved 
        for use of veterans educational assistance pursuant to chapter 
        35 or 36 of title 38, United States Code, or another applicable 
        provision of law.
            (2) Institution of higher learning.--The term ``institution 
        of higher learning'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        3452(f) of title 38, United States Code.
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