[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1947 Received in Senate (RDS)]

<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1947


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2019

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to exempt transfers of funds 
    from Federal agencies to the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
nonprofit corporations established under subchapter IV of chapter 73 of 
 such title from certain provisions of the Economy Act, 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. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN TRANSFERS.

    Section 7364(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Any amounts so 
transferred after September 30, 2016, shall be available without regard 
to fiscal year limitations, notwithstanding section 1535(d) of title 
31.''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN FLIGHT TRAINING AND 
              OTHER PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION.

    (a) Use of Entitlement for Private Pilot's Licenses.--Section 
3034(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) by striking the semicolon and 
        inserting the following: ``and is required for the course of 
        education being pursued (including with respect to a dual 
        major, concentration, or other element of a degree); and'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (2); and
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).
    (b) Accelerated Payments for Flight Training.--Section 3313 of such 
title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l) Accelerated Payments for Certain Flight Training.--
            ``(1) Payments.--An individual enrolled in a program of 
        education pursued at a vocational school or institution of 
        higher learning in which flight training is required to earn 
        the degree being pursued (including with respect to a dual 
        major, concentration, or other element of such a degree) may 
        elect to receive accelerated payments of amounts for tuition 
        and fees determined under subsection (c). The amount of each 
        accelerated payment shall be an amount equal to twice the 
        amount for tuition and fee so determined under such subsection, 
        but the total amount of such payments may not exceed the total 
        amount of tuition and fees for the program of education. The 
        amount of monthly stipends shall be determined in accordance 
        with such subsection (c) and may not be accelerated under this 
        paragraph.
            ``(2) Educational counseling.--An individual may make an 
        election under paragraph (1) only if the individual receives 
        educational counseling under section 3697A(a) of this title.
            ``(3) Charge against entitlement.--The number of months of 
        entitlement charged an individual for accelerated payments made 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be determined at the rate of 2 
        months for each month in which such an accelerated payment is 
        made.''.
    (c) Flight Training at Public Institutions.--Subsection (c)(1)(A) 
of such section 3313 is amended--
            (1) in clause (i)--
                    (A) by redesignating subclauses (I) and (II) as 
                items (aa) and (bb), respectively;
                    (B) by striking ``In the case of a program of 
                education pursued at a public institution of higher 
                learning'' and inserting ``(I) Subject to subclause 
                (II), in the case of a program of education pursued at 
                a public institution of higher learning not described 
                in clause (ii)(II)(bb)''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subclause:
                            ``(II) In determining the actual net cost 
                        for in-State tuition and fees pursuant to 
                        subclause (I), the Secretary may not pay for 
                        tuition and fees relating to flight 
                        training.''; and
            (2) in clause (ii)--
                    (A) in subclause (I), by redesignating items (aa) 
                and (bb) as subitems (AA) and (BB), respectively;
                    (B) in subclause (II), by redesignating items (aa) 
                and (bb) as subitems (AA) and (BB), respectively;
                    (C) by redesignating subclauses (I) and (II) as 
                items (aa) and (bb), respectively;
                    (D) by striking ``In the case of a program of 
                education pursued at a non-public or foreign 
                institution of higher learning'' and inserting ``(I) In 
                the case of a program of education described in 
                subclause (II)''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following new 
                subclause:
                            ``(II) A program of education described in 
                        this subclause is any of the following:
                                    ``(aa) A program of education 
                                pursued at a non-public or foreign 
                                institution of higher learning.
                                    ``(bb) A program of education 
                                pursued at a public institution of 
                                higher learning in which flight 
                                training is required to earn the degree 
                                being pursued (including with respect 
                                to a dual major, concentration, or 
                                other element of such a degree).''.
    (d) Certain Programs of Education Carried Out Under Contract.--
Section 3313(c)(1)(A)(ii)(II) of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (c)(2)(E), is amended by adding at the end the following 
new item:
                                    ``(cc) A program of education 
                                pursued at a public institution of 
                                higher learning in which the public 
                                institution of higher learning enters 
                                into a contract or agreement with an 
                                entity (other than another public 
                                institution of higher learning) to 
                                provide such program of education or a 
                                portion of such program of 
                                education.''.
    (e) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided by paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to a 
        quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing on or 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Special rule for current students.--In the case of an 
        individual who, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, is 
        using educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, 
        United States Code, to pursue a course of education that 
        includes a program of education described in item (bb) or (cc) 
        of section 3313(c)(1)(A)(ii)(II) of title 38, United States 
        Code, as added by subsections (c) and (d), respectively, the 
        amendment made by such subsection shall apply with respect to a 
        quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing on or 
        after the date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act.

SEC. 3. PROVISION OF INSCRIPTIONS FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN ON CERTAIN 
              HEADSTONES AND MARKERS FURNISHED BY THE SECRETARY OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j)(1) In addition to any other authority under this section, in 
the case of an individual whose grave is not in a covered cemetery (as 
that term is defined in subsection (f)(2)) and for whom the Secretary 
has furnished a headstone or marker under subsection (a) or (d), the 
Secretary, if feasible and upon request, may replace the headstone or 
marker to add an inscription for the surviving spouse or eligible 
dependent child of such individual following the death of the surviving 
spouse or eligible dependent child.
    ``(2) If the spouse or eligible dependent child of an individual 
referred to in paragraph (1) predeceases the individual, the Secretary 
may, if feasible and upon request, include an inscription for the 
spouse or dependent child on the headstone or marker furnished for the 
individual under subsection (a) or (d).''.
    (b) Application.--Subsection (j) of section 2306 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with 
respect to an individual who dies on or after October 1, 2019.

SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

    The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying 
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by 
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO 
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee,


              

 provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on 
passage.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2019.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.