[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5914 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 373
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5914

                          [Report No. 118-449]

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the processes to 
     approve programs of education for purposes of the educational 
  assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 10, 2023

              Mr. Van Orden introduced the following bill

                            October 25, 2023

             Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                             April 9, 2024

                     Additional sponsor: Mr. Murphy

                             April 9, 2024

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 
                               10, 2023]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the processes to 
     approve programs of education for purposes of 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 ``Veterans Education Transparency and 
Training Act'' or the ``VETT Act''.

SEC. 2. PROCESSES TO APPROVE PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION FOR PURPOSES OF THE 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Limitation of Disapproval of Programs of Education for Failure 
To Provide Certain Forms.--Section 3679(f)(5) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``this paragraph'' and 
        inserting ``this subparagraph'';
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``this paragraph'' and 
        inserting ``subparagraph (A)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(C) If an educational institution cannot provide to an individual 
a form under paragraph (1) that contains all of the information 
required under subparagraph (A) of such paragraph, the educational 
institution shall provide to such individual, with the form under such 
paragraph, a notice--
            ``(i) that specifies what such information may be 
        inaccurate or incomplete; and
            ``(ii) that includes, in place of the information that may 
        be inaccurate or incomplete, the best estimate available on the 
        date of such notice.''.
    (b) Publication of Information About Training for School Certifying 
Officials.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a website 
to serve as a central location for the publication of information about 
the training that the Department of Veterans Affairs provides for 
school certifying officials and shall update such information on a 
regular basis.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR APPROVAL OF COMMERCIAL DRIVER 
              EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3680A(e) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) as 
        subparagraphs (A) though (C), respectively;
            (2) in the matter before subparagraph (A), as redesignated 
        by paragraph (1), by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The 
        Secretary'';
            (3) in paragraph (1)(B), as redesignated by paragraph (1), 
        by inserting ``except as provided in paragraph (2),'' before 
        ``the course''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph (2):
    ``(2)(A) Subject to this paragraph, a commercial driver education 
program is exempt from paragraph (1)(B) for a branch of an educational 
institution if the commercial driver education program offered at the 
branch by the educational institution--
            ``(i) is appropriately licensed; and
            ``(ii)(I) the branch is located in a State in which the 
        same commercial driver education program is offered by the same 
        educational institution at another branch of that educational 
        institution in the same State that is approved for purposes of 
        this chapter by a State approving agency or the Secretary when 
        acting in the role of a State approving agency; or
            ``(II)(aa) the branch is located in a State in which the 
        same commercial driver education program is not offered at 
        another branch of the same educational institution in the same 
        State; and
            ``(bb) the branch has been operating for a period of at 
        least one year using the same curriculum as a commercial driver 
        education program offered by the educational institution at 
        another location that is approved for purposes of this chapter 
        by a State approving agency or the Secretary when acting in the 
        role of a State approving agency.
    ``(B)(i) In order for a commercial driver education program of an 
educational institution offered at a branch described in paragraph 
(1)(B) to be exempt under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the 
educational institution shall submit to the Secretary each year that 
paragraph (1)(B) would otherwise apply a report that demonstrates that 
the curriculum at the new branch is the same as the curriculum at the 
primary location.
    ``(ii) Reporting under clause (i) shall be submitted in accordance 
with such requirements as the Secretary shall establish in consultation 
with the State approving agencies.
    ``(C)(i) The Secretary may withhold an exemption under subparagraph 
(A) for any educational institution or branch of an educational 
institution as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(ii) In making any determination under clause (i), the Secretary 
may consult with the Secretary of Transportation on the performance of 
a provider of a commercial driver program, including the status of the 
provider within the Training Provider Registry of the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration when appropriate.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a notification not 
later than 30 days after the Secretary grants an exemption under this 
paragraph. Such notification shall identify the educational institution 
and branch of such educational institution granted such exemption.''.
    (b) Implementation.--
            (1) Establishment of requirements.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall establish requirements under section 
        3680A(e)(2)(B)(ii) of such title, as added by subsection (a).
            (2) Rulemaking.--In promulgating any rules to carry out 
        paragraph (2) of section 3680A(e) of title 38, United States 
        Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs shall consult with State approving agencies.
            (3) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
        shall apply to commercial driver education programs on and 
        after the day that is 180 days after the date on which the 
        Secretary establishes the requirements under paragraph (1) of 
        this subsection.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 373

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 5914

                          [Report No. 118-449]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the processes to 
     approve programs of education for purposes of the educational 
  assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             April 9, 2024

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed