[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 473 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 473

     To amend title 38, United States Code, to make qualification 
  requirements for entitlement to Post-9/11 Education Assistance more 
 equitable, to improve support of veterans receiving such educational 
                  assistance, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 28, 2017

 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Franken, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Hassan, and 
Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 38, United States Code, to make qualification 
  requirements for entitlement to Post-9/11 Education Assistance more 
 equitable, to improve support of veterans receiving such 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 ``Educational Development for Troops 
and Veterans Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS FOR POST-9/11 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

    Section 3301(1)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``or 12304'' and inserting ``12304, 12304a, or 12304b''.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY OF RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS FOR NONREDUCTION IN 
              PAY WHILE SERVING IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICES OR NATIONAL 
              GUARD.

    Section 5538(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting after ``under'' the 
following: ``section 12301(d), section 12304b, or''.

SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF TIME LIMITATION FOR TRAINING AND REHABILITATION 
              FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

    Section 3103(f) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``or 12304'' and inserting ``12304, 12304a, or 12304b''.

SEC. 5. DEFERRAL OF STUDENTS LOANS FOR CERTAIN PERIOD IN CONNECTION 
              WITH RECEIPT OF ORDERS FOR MOBILIZATION FOR WAR OR 
              NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

    (a) Federal Family Education Loans.--Section 428(b)(1)(M) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(b)(1)(M)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``, 
        during any period'';
            (2) in clause (i), by striking ``during which'' and 
        inserting ``during any period during which'';
            (3) in clause (ii), by striking ``during which'' and 
        inserting ``during any period during which'';
            (4) in clause (iii)--
                    (A) by striking ``during which'' and inserting 
                ``during any period during which''; and
                    (B) in the matter following subclause (II), by 
                striking ``or'' after the semicolon;
            (5) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (vi);
            (6) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
                            ``(iv) in the case of any borrower who has 
                        received a call or order to duty described in 
                        subclause (I) or (II) of clause (iii), during 
                        the shorter of--
                                    ``(I) the period beginning on the 
                                date such call or order to duty is 
                                received by the borrower and ending on 
                                the first day of the service described 
                                in subclause (I) or (II) of clause 
                                (iii); and
                                    ``(II) the 180-day period preceding 
                                the first day of such service;
                            ``(v) notwithstanding clause (iv)--
                                    ``(I) in the case of any borrower 
                                described in such clause whose call or 
                                order to duty is cancelled before the 
                                first day of the service described in 
                                subclause (I) or (II) of clause (iii) 
                                because of a personal injury in 
                                connection with training to prepare for 
                                such service, during the period 
                                described in clause (iv) and during an 
                                additional period equal to the duration 
                                of such service, as specified by or 
                                otherwise determined in the original 
                                call or order to duty; and
                                    ``(II) in the case of any borrower 
                                whose call or order to duty is 
                                cancelled before the first day of such 
                                service for a reason other than an 
                                injury described in subclause (I), 
                                during the period beginning on the date 
                                the call or order to duty is received 
                                by the borrower and ending on the date 
                                that is 14 days after such call or 
                                order to duty is cancelled; and''; and
            (7) in clause (vi) (as redesignated by paragraph (5)), by 
        striking ``not in excess'' and inserting ``during any period 
        not in excess''.
    (b) Direct Loans.--Section 455(f)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``during any period'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``during which'' and 
        inserting ``during any period during which'';
            (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``not in excess'' and 
        inserting ``during any period not in excess'';
            (4) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) by striking ``during which'' and inserting 
                ``during any period during which''; and
                    (B) in the matter following clause (ii), by 
                striking ``or'' after the semicolon;
            (5) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (F);
            (6) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
                    ``(D) in the case of any borrower who has received 
                a call or order to duty described in clause (i) or (ii) 
                of subparagraph (C), during the shorter of--
                            ``(i) the period beginning on the date such 
                        call or order to duty is received by the 
                        borrower and ending on the first day of the 
                        service described in clause (i) or (ii) of 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                            ``(ii) the 180-day period preceding the 
                        first day of such service;
                    ``(E) notwithstanding subparagraph (D)--
                            ``(i) in the case of any borrower described 
                        in such subparagraph whose call or order to 
                        duty is cancelled before the first day of the 
                        service described in clause (i) or (ii) of 
                        subparagraph (C) because of a personal injury 
                        in connection with training to prepare for such 
                        service, during the period described in 
                        subparagraph (D) and during an additional 
                        period equal to the duration of such service, 
                        as specified by or otherwise determined in the 
                        original call or order to duty; and
                            ``(ii) in the case of any borrower whose 
                        call or order to duty is cancelled before the 
                        first day of such service for a reason other 
                        than an injury described in clause (i), during 
                        the period beginning on the date the call or 
                        order to duty is received by the borrower and 
                        ending on the date that is 14 days after such 
                        call or order to duty is cancelled; and''; and
            (7) in subparagraph (F) (as redesignated by paragraph (5)), 
        by striking ``not in excess'' and inserting ``during any period 
        not in excess''.
    (c) Perkins Loans.--Section 464(c)(2)(A) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087dd(c)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
        ``during any period'';
            (2) in clause (i), by striking ``during which'' and 
        inserting ``during any period during which'';
            (3) in clause (ii), by striking ``not in excess'' and 
        inserting ``during any period not in excess'';
            (4) in clause (iii), by striking ``during which'' and 
        inserting ``during any period during which'';
            (5) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (vi) 
        and (vii), respectively;
            (6) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
                    ``(iv) in the case of any borrower who has received 
                a call or order to duty described in subclause (I) or 
                (II) of clause (iii), during the shorter of--
                            ``(I) the period beginning on the date such 
                        call or order to duty is received by the 
                        borrower and ending on the first day of the 
                        service described in subclause (I) or (II) of 
                        clause (iii); and
                            ``(II) the 180-day period preceding the 
                        first day of such service;
                    ``(v) notwithstanding clause (iv)--
                            ``(I) in the case of any borrower described 
                        in such clause whose call or order to duty is 
                        cancelled before the first day of the service 
                        described in subclause (I) or (II) of clause 
                        (iii) because of a personal injury in 
                        connection with training to prepare for such 
                        service, during the period described in clause 
                        (iv) and during an additional period equal to 
                        the duration of such service, as specified by 
                        or otherwise determined in the original call or 
                        order to duty; and
                            ``(II) in the case of any borrower whose 
                        call or order to duty is cancelled before the 
                        first day of such service for a reason other 
                        than an injury described in subclause (I), 
                        during the period beginning on the date the 
                        call or order to duty is received by the 
                        borrower and ending on the date that is 14 days 
                        after such call or order to duty is 
                        cancelled;'';
            (7) in clause (vi) (as redesignated by paragraph (5)), by 
        striking ``not in excess'' and inserting ``during any period 
        not in excess''; and
            (8) in clause (vii) (as redesignated by paragraph (5)), by 
        striking ``during which'' and inserting ``during any period 
        during which''.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in the amendments made by this 
section shall be construed to authorize any refunding of any repayment 
of a loan.
    (e) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to all loans made, insured, or guaranteed under title IV 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
    (f) Conforming Amendments.--Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) is further amended--
            (1) in section 428B(d)(1)(A)(ii) (20 U.S.C. 1078-
        2(d)(1)(A)(ii)), by striking ``428(b)(1)(M)(i)(I)'' and 
        inserting ``or clause (i)(I), (iv), or (v) of section 
        428(b)(1)(M)''; and
            (2) in section 493D(a) (20 U.S.C. 1098f(a)), by striking 
        ``section 428(b)(1)(M)(iii), 455(f)(2)(C), or 
        464(c)(2)(A)(iii)'' and inserting ``clause (iii) or (iv) of 
        section 428(b)(1)(M), subparagraph (C) or (D) of section 
        455(f)(2), or clause (iii) or (iv) of section 464(c)(2)(A)''.

SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE VETERAN 
              STUDENT CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--Part T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t) is amended to read as follows:

              ``PART T--GRANTS FOR VETERAN STUDENT CENTERS

``SEC. 873. GRANTS FOR VETERAN STUDENT CENTERS.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations under subsection (i), the Secretary shall award grants 
to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of 
higher education to assist in the establishment, maintenance, 
improvement, and operation of Veteran Student Centers. The Secretary 
shall award not more than 30 grants under this subsection.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Application.--An institution or consortium seeking a 
        grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Criteria.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
        subsection (a) to an institution or a consortium if the 
        institution or consortium meets each of the following criteria:
                    ``(A) The institution or consortium enrolls in 
                undergraduate or graduate courses--
                            ``(i) a significant number of veteran 
                        students, members of the Armed Forces serving 
                        on active duty, and members of a reserve 
                        component of the Armed Forces; or
                            ``(ii) a significant percentage of veteran 
                        students, as measured by comparing the overall 
                        enrollment of the institution or consortium to 
                        the number, for the most recent academic year 
                        for which data are available, of veteran 
                        students, members of the Armed Forces serving 
                        on active duty, and members of a reserve 
                        component of the Armed Forces who are enrolled 
                        in undergraduate or graduate courses at the 
                        institution or consortium.
                    ``(B) The institution or consortium presents a 
                sustainability plan to demonstrate that its Veteran 
                Student Center will be maintained and will continue to 
                operate after the grant period of the grant received 
                under subsection (a) has ended.
            ``(3) Additional criteria.--In awarding grants under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall consider institutions or consortia 
                representing a broad spectrum of sectors and sizes, 
                including institutions or consortia from urban, 
                suburban, and rural regions of the United States; and
                    ``(B) may provide consideration to institutions or 
                consortia that meet 1 or more of the following 
                criteria:
                            ``(i) The institution or consortium is 
                        located in a region or community that has a 
                        significant population of veterans.
                            ``(ii) The institution or consortium 
                        carries out programs or activities that assist 
                        veterans in the local community and the spouses 
                        of veteran students.
                            ``(iii) The institution or consortium 
                        partners in its veteran-specific programming 
                        with nonprofit veteran service organizations, 
                        local workforce development organizations, or 
                        institutions of higher education.
                            ``(iv) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to hiring a staff at the Veteran 
                        Student Center that includes veterans 
                        (including veteran student volunteers and 
                        veteran students participating in a Federal 
                        work-study program under part C of title IV, a 
                        work-study program administered by the 
                        Secretary of Veteran Affairs, or a State work-
                        study program).
                            ``(v) The institution or consortium is 
                        willing to consider providing veteran students 
                        with academic credit for comparable subject-
                        area training received while serving in the 
                        Armed Forces and commits to dedicating 
                        resources to helping its student veterans 
                        navigate their way through the transfer credit 
                        process.
                            ``(vi) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to using a portion of the grant 
                        received under this section to develop an early 
                        warning veteran student retention program 
                        carried out by the Veteran Student Center.
                            ``(vii) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to providing mental health counseling 
                        to its veteran students and their spouses.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--An institution or consortium that is 
        awarded a grant under subsection (a) shall use such grant to 
        establish, maintain, improve, or operate a Veteran Student 
        Center.
            ``(2) Other allowable uses.--An institution or consortium 
        receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use a portion of 
        such funds to carry out supportive instruction services for 
        student veterans, including--
                    ``(A) assistance with special admissions and 
                transfer of credit from previous postsecondary 
                education or experience; and
                    ``(B) any other support services the institution or 
                consortium determines to be necessary to ensure the 
                success of veterans on campus in achieving education 
                and career goals.
    ``(d) Amounts Awarded.--
            ``(1) Duration.--Each grant awarded under subsection (a) 
        shall be for a 4-year period.
            ``(2) Total amount of grant and schedule.--Each grant 
        awarded under subsection (a) may not exceed a total of 
        $500,000. The Secretary shall disburse to an institution or 
        consortium the amounts awarded under the grant in such amounts 
        and at such times during the grant period as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(e) Report.--From the amounts appropriated to carry out this 
section, and not later than 3 years after the date on which the first 
grant is awarded under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the grant program established under subsection 
(a), including--
            ``(1) the number of grants awarded;
            ``(2) the institutions of higher education and consortia 
        that have received grants;
            ``(3) with respect to each such institution of higher 
        education and consortium--
                    ``(A) the amounts awarded;
                    ``(B) how such institution or consortium used such 
                amounts;
                    ``(C) a description of the students to whom 
                services were offered as a result of the award; and
                    ``(D) data enumerating whether the use of the 
                amounts awarded helped veteran students at the 
                institution or consortium toward completion of a 
                degree, certificate, or credential;
            ``(4) best practices for veteran student success, 
        identified by reviewing data provided by institutions and 
        consortia that received a grant under this section; and
            ``(5) a determination by the Secretary with respect to 
        whether the grant program under this section should be extended 
        or expanded.
    ``(f) Termination.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out the 
grant program established under subsection (a) shall terminate on the 
date that is 4 years after the date on which the first grant is awarded 
under subsection (a).
    ``(g) Department of Education Best Practices Website.--Subject to 
the availability of appropriations under subsection (i) and not later 
than 3 years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop and implement a website for 
veteran student services at institutions of higher education, which 
details best practices for serving veteran students at institutions of 
higher education.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101.
            ``(2) Veteran student center.--The term `Veteran Student 
        Center' means a dedicated space on a campus of an institution 
        of higher education that provides students who are veterans or 
        members of the Armed Forces with the following:
                    ``(A) A lounge or meeting space for such veteran 
                students, their spouses or partners, and veterans in 
                the community.
                    ``(B) A centralized office for veteran services 
                that--
                            ``(i) is a single point of contact to 
                        coordinate comprehensive support services for 
                        veteran students;
                            ``(ii) is staffed by trained employees and 
                        volunteers, which includes veterans and at 
                        least 1 full-time employee or volunteer who is 
                        trained as a veterans' benefits counselor;
                            ``(iii) provides veteran students with 
                        assistance relating to--
                                    ``(I) transitioning from the 
                                military to student life;
                                    ``(II) transitioning from the 
                                military to the civilian workforce;
                                    ``(III) networking with other 
                                veteran students and veterans in the 
                                community;
                                    ``(IV) understanding and obtaining 
                                benefits provided by the institution of 
                                higher education, Federal Government, 
                                and State for which such students may 
                                be eligible;
                                    ``(V) understanding how to succeed 
                                in the institution of higher education, 
                                including by understanding academic 
                                policies, the course selection process, 
                                and institutional policies and 
                                practices related to the transfer of 
                                academic credits; and
                                    ``(VI) understanding their 
                                disability-related rights and 
                                protections under the Americans with 
                                Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
                                12101 et seq.) and section 504 of the 
                                Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
                                794); and
                            ``(iv) provides comprehensive academic and 
                        tutoring services for veteran students, 
                        including peer-to-peer tutoring and academic 
                        mentorship.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this part such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2017 and each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.''.
    (b) Continuation of Awards.--An institution of higher education 
that received a grant under section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t) before the date of enactment of this Act, as 
such section 873 (20 U.S.C. 1161t) was in effect on the day before the 
date of enactment of this Act, shall continue to receive funds in 
accordance with the terms and conditions of such grant.

SEC. 7. MODIFICATION OF BASIS FOR ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS IN AMOUNTS OF 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED 
              RESERVE.

    (a) In General.--Section 16131(b)(2) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``equal to'' and all that follows and 
inserting the following: ``not less than the percentage by which--
            ``(A) the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the 
        United States, as determined by the National Center for 
        Education Statistics, for the last academic year preceding the 
        beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, 
        exceeds
            ``(B) the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the 
        United States, as so determined, for the academic year 
        preceding the academic year described in subparagraph (A).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 2017, and shall apply to adjustments in 
amounts of educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve 
that are made for fiscal years beginning on or after that date.

SEC. 8. MONTHLY STIPEND FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS 
              OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--Section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j) Determination of Monthly Stipends During Certain Active Duty 
Service.--
            ``(1) Pro rata basis.--In any month in which an individual 
        described in paragraph (2) is performing active duty service 
        described in section 3301(1)(B) of this title, the Secretary 
        shall determine the amount of monthly stipends payable under 
        this section for such month on a pro rata basis for the period 
        of such month in which the covered individual is not performing 
        such active duty service.
            ``(2) Individual described.--An individual described in 
        this paragraph is an individual who is--
                    ``(A) a member of the reserve components of the 
                Armed Forces; and
                    ``(B) pursuing a program of education using 
                educational assistance under this chapter.''.
    (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply 
with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing 
on or after August 1, 2016.
                                 <all>