[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7074 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7074

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a 
uniform application for use by any educational institution or training 
 establishment seeking the approval of a course of education under the 
      laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2022

    Mr. Moore of Alabama (for himself, Mr. Cawthorn, and Mr. Mann) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a 
uniform application for use by any educational institution or training 
 establishment seeking the approval of a course of education under the 
      laws administered by the Secretary, 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 ``Quality Education for Veterans Act 
of 2022''.

SEC. 2. UNIFORM APPLICATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROVAL 
              OF COURSES OF EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3672 the following 
new section:
``Sec. 3672A. Uniform application
    ``(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary, in partnership with State 
approving agencies, educational institutions, and training 
establishments, shall require the use of a uniform application by any 
educational institution or training establishment seeking the approval 
of a new course of education under this chapter.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall maintain one uniform application for 
institutions of higher learning and one such application for other 
educational institutions and training establishments.
    ``(3) In the case of any State that uses approval criteria not 
covered by a uniform application under this section, the State 
approving agency for that State shall require the use of the uniform 
application and may require the submittal of additional information.
    ``(b) Requirements.--The uniform application required under 
subsection (a) shall meet the following requirements:
            ``(1) A requirement that the appropriate executive of the 
        educational institution or training establishment seeking the 
        approval of a course of education attests on behalf of the 
        educational institution or training establishment that the 
        educational institution or training establishment--
                    ``(A) is in compliance with all applicable laws and 
                regulations relating to the approval of courses of 
                education under this chapter; and
                    ``(B) during the five-year period preceding the 
                date of the application--
                            ``(i) has not been subject to, or been 
                        party to a contract with any individual or 
                        entity that has been subject to, any adverse 
                        administrative or judicial action that--
                                    ``(I) related to the instruction or 
                                training, including with respect to the 
                                quality of education, provided by the 
                                institution or establishment; and
                                    ``(II) resulted in a fine or 
                                penalty in an amount equal to or more 
                                than five percent of the amount of 
                                funding provided to the institution or 
                                establishment under title IV of the 
                                Higher Education Act of 1965 for the 
                                fiscal year preceding the year in which 
                                the application is submitted; or
                            ``(ii) has not employed an individual, or 
                        been party to a contract with any individual or 
                        entity, that has been convicted of a Federal 
                        fraud charge related to the instruction or 
                        training provided by the institution or 
                        establishment.
            ``(2) In the case of any educational institution or 
        training establishment that is not participating in title IV of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965, a requirement for the 
        inclusion of--
                    ``(A) a copy of--
                            ``(i) the articles of incorporation filed 
                        on behalf of the institution or establishment 
                        or proof of licensing to operate as an 
                        educational institution or training 
                        establishment in the State where the 
                        institution or establishment is located; and
                            ``(ii) the financial position of the 
                        institution or establishment, as prepared by an 
                        appropriate third-party entity; or
                    ``(B) other adequate evidence, as determined by the 
                Secretary, that the institution or establishment is 
                authorized to provide post-secondary education or 
                training in the State where the institution or 
                establishment is located.
            ``(3) In the case of any course of education that is 
        offered by an educational institution or training establishment 
        that has never offered a course of education that was approved 
        under this chapter, a requirement for the inclusion of 
        information about the course of education covered by the 
        application, including--
                    ``(A) the number of students who have entered and 
                graduated from the course during the preceding two-year 
                period; and
                    ``(B) if available, the cohort default rate for 
                funds provided to the institution or establishment 
                under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
            ``(4) In the case of any educational institution or 
        training establishment that is not an institution of higher 
        learning, a requirement for the inclusion of--
                    ``(A) a list of individuals who will serve as fully 
                qualified instructors for the course of education, as 
                of the date of the application, and an attestation that 
                such individuals--
                            ``(i) have a degree or other training, as 
                        appropriate, in the field of the course;
                            ``(ii) effectively teach the skills offered 
                        under the course; and
                            ``(iii) have demonstrated relevant industry 
                        experience in the field of the course; and
                    ``(B) a list of individuals who will serve as 
                career services employees for students enrolled in the 
                course and an attestation that such individuals are 
                skilled at identifying professions in the relevant 
                industry that are in need of new employees to hire, 
                tailoring the course of education to meet market needs, 
                and identifying the employers likely to hire graduates.
    ``(c) Requirements for State Approving Agencies.--During the 
approval process with respect to a uniform application submitted by an 
educational institution or training establishment, a State approving 
agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of a State approving 
agency, shall contact the Secretary of Education to determine whether 
the course of education subject to such approval process has withdrawn, 
or been denied or suspended, from receiving for benefits under title IV 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
    ``(d) Appropriate Executive.--In this section, the appropriate 
executive of an educational institution or training establishment is a 
senior executive official, senior administrator, owner, or operator 
designated by the institution or establishment.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
3672 the following new item:

``3672A. Uniform application.''.
    (c) Applicability.--The application required by section 3672A of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) shall--
            (1) be developed by not later than October 1, 2023; and
            (2) be required for the approval of any new course of 
        education proposed on or after that day.

SEC. 3. NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              EDUCATION SURVEYS.

    (a) Risk-Based Survey.--Section 3673A of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Notice.--To the maximum amount feasible, the Secretary, or a 
State approving agency, as applicable, shall provide not more than one 
business day of notice to an educational institution before conducting 
a targeted risk-based survey of the institution under this section.''.
    (b) Compliance Surveys.--Section 3693 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection (c):
    ``(c) To the maximum extent feasible, the Secretary, or a State 
approving agency, as applicable, shall provide not more than ten 
business days of notice to an educational institution or training 
establishment before conducting a compliance survey of the institution 
or establishment under this section.''.
                                 <all>