[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4085 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4085
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in
the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 26, 2019
Mr. Bilirakis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in
the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, 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 ``Student Veteran Empowerment Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT TO EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS
WHO DO NOT TRANSFER CREDITS FROM CERTAIN DISAPPROVED
PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--Subsection (c) of section 3699 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Period Not Charged.--(1) The period for which, by reason of
this subsection, educational assistance is not charged against
entitlement or counted toward the applicable aggregate period under
section 3695 of this title shall not exceed the aggregate of--
``(A) the portion of the period of enrollment in the course
from which the individual did not receive credit or with
respect to which the individual lost training time, as
determined under subsection (b)(2); and
``(B) the period by which a monthly stipend is extended
under section 3680(a)(2)(B) of this title.
``(2)(A) An individual described in paragraph (2) who transfers
fewer than 12 credits from a program of education that is disapproved
as described in subsection (b)(1)(B) shall be deemed to be an
individual who did not receive such credits, as described in subsection
(b)(2), except that the period for which such individual's entitlement
is not charged shall be the entire period of the individual's
enrollment in the program of education. In carrying out this
subparagraph, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Education, shall establish procedures to determine whether the
individual transferred credits to a comparable course or program of
education.
``(B) An individual described in this paragraph is an individual
who is enrolled in a course or program of education discontinued as
described in subsection (b)(1)(B) during the period beginning on the
date that is 120 days before the date of such discontinuance and ending
on the date of such discontinuance.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Section 3675(b) of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(4) The educational institution is approved and
participates in a program under title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) or the Secretary
has waived the requirement under this paragraph with respect to
an educational institution and submits to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives
notice of such waiver for each calendar quarter for which such
waiver applies.
``(5) The educational institution has agreed to abide by
the Principles of Excellence under Executive Order 13607, as in
effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph, or the
Secretary has waived the requirement under this paragraph with
respect to an educational institution and submits to the
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of
Representatives notice of such waiver for each calendar quarter
for which such waiver applies.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. OVERSIGHT OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PLACED ON HEIGHTENED CASH
MONITORING STATUS BY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--Section 3673 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Notice of Cash Monitoring Status.--(1) If the Secretary
receives notice under paragraph (2) with respect to an educational
institution, the Secretary shall provide such notice to the State
approving agency for the State where the educational institution is
located by not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary
receives such notice. Not later than 60 days after receiving such
notice, the State approving agency shall perform a risk-based oversight
visit to the educational institution.
``(2) Notice under this paragraph is any of the following:
``(A) Notice from the Secretary of Education that pursuant
to section 487(c)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1094) an educational institution is receiving payments
under the heightened cash monitoring payment method.
``(B) Notice that the Attorney General, the Federal Trade
Commission, or any other Federal department or agency has taken
legal action against an educational institution relating to
misleading marketing status or misconduct, as defined by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
``(3) If a State approving agency disapproves or suspends an
educational institution, the State approving agency shall provide
notice of such disapproval or suspension to the Secretary and to the
other State approving agencies. Upon receipt of notice relating to an
educational institution under this paragraph, a State approving agency
shall perform a risk-based oversight visit to the educational
institution.
``(4) This subsection shall be carried out using amounts made
available pursuant to section 3674(a)(4) of this title as long as such
amounts remain available.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT FOR PURPOSES OF RECEIPT OF POST-9/11
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS.
(a) In General.--Section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(l) Verification of Enrollment.--The Secretary shall require each
individual who is enrolled in a course or program of education and is
receiving educational assistance under this chapter to submit to the
Secretary verification of such enrollment for each month during which
the individual is so enrolled and receiving such educational
assistance. Verification under this subsection shall be in an
electronic form prescribed by the Secretary.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on August 1, 2020.
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