[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8661 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8661

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
            educational assistance, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 7, 2024

  Mr. James 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 to 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
            educational assistance, 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 ``Reforming Education for Veterans 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CERTAIN SERVICE.

    (a) Options.--Section 3691A of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and inserting the 
following:
    ``(1) A covered member may, after receiving orders to enter a 
period of covered service--
            ``(A) withdraw from covered education;
            ``(B) take a leave of absence from covered education; or
            ``(C) subject to subsection (d), enter into an agreement 
        with the institution concerned to complete a course of covered 
        education to the satisfaction of such institution concerned.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Such subsection is further amended, in 
paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``or takes a leave of absence'' and 
inserting ``, takes a leave of absence, or enters into an agreement''.
    (c) Agreement.--Such section is further amended by--
            (1) redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting, after subsection (c), the following new 
        subsection (d):
    ``(d) Agreement With Institution Concerned.--A covered member may 
enter into an agreement under subsection (a) only if the covered member 
has completed at least half of a course of covered education.''.
    (d) Section Heading.--Such section is amended by striking the 
heading and inserting ``Absence from certain education due to certain 
service''.
    (e) Table of Sections.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 36 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 3691A and inserting the following new item:

``3691A. Absence from certain education due to certain service.''.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE SURVEYS.

    Section 3693 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
    ``(3) In conducting annual compliance surveys under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that any educational institution 
or training establishment with multiple campuses is only required to 
complete one such survey.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``not more than 10 business days of 
                notice'';
                    (B) by striking ``this section.'' and inserting 
                ``this section--''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(1) in the case of an educational institution or training 
        establishment with a time stamp database collection feature, 
        not more than 15 business days of notice; and
            ``(2) in the case of any other educational institution or 
        training establishment, not more than 10 business days of 
        notice.''.

SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS OF HANDBOOK 
              UPDATES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 14 business days after updating the 
school certifying official handbook of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide notice to all 
school certifying officials of such update.
    (b) School Certifying Official Defined.--The term ``school 
certifying official'' means an employee of an educational institution 
with primary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
educational institution.
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