[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3503 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.3503

                     One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and twenty


                                 An Act


 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain programs 
of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergencies and 
 health-related situations in the same manner as programs of education 
      pursued at educational institutions, 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. CONTINUATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION CONVERTED TO 
DISTANCE LEARNING BY REASON OF EMERGENCIES AND HEALTH-RELATED 
SITUATIONS.
    (a) In General.--In the case of a program of education approved by 
a State approving agency, or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs when 
acting in the role of a State approving agency, that is converted from 
being offered on-site at an educational institution to being offered by 
distance learning by reason of an emergency or health-related 
situation, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may continue 
to provide educational assistance under the laws administered by the 
Secretary without regard to such conversion, including with respect to 
paying any--
        (1) monthly housing stipends under chapter 33 of title 38, 
    United States Code; or
        (2) payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 31, 
    32, and 35 of such title and chapters 1606 and 1607 of title 10, 
    United States Code.
    (b) Applicability Period.--Subsection (a) shall apply during the 
period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 21, 2020.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
        (1) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
    institution'' has the meaning given that term in section 3452 of 
    title 38, United States Code, and includes an institution of higher 
    learning (as defined in such section).
        (2) Program of education.--The term ``program of education'' 
    has the meaning given that term in section 3002 of title 38, United 
    States Code.
        (3) State approving agency.--The term ``State approving 
    agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 3671 of title 
    38, United States Code.
SEC. 2. EMERGENCY DESIGNATIONS.
    (a) In General.--This Act is designated as an emergency requirement 
pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 
U.S.C. 933(g)).
    (b) Designation in Senate.--In the Senate, this Act is designated 
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 
71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal 
year 2018.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.