[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3432-S3433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Mr. Burr):
S. 944. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require
courses of education provided by public institutions of higher
education that are approved for purposes of the All-Volunteer Force
Educational Assistance Program and Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to
charge veterans tuition and fees at the in-State tuition rate, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, today, as Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud to introduce the Veterans'
Educational Transition Act of 2013.
My colleague and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, Senator Burr, joins me in introducing this important
legislation.
The Department of Defense estimates that approximately 250,000 to
300,000 servicemembers will separate annually for the next 4 years.
That is more than one million brave men and women who will face the
harsh reality of transitioning back to civilian life. Many of them will
elect to further their education by using the most lucrative benefit
afforded to them since WWII--the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Since 2009, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, has paid nearly 1 million Post-9/11
GI Bill beneficiaries more than $28 billion.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill stands as a testament of our willingness to
invest in our newest generation of veterans. Unfortunately, this
investment often falls short of what they need to complete a post-
secondary education and successfully transition back to civilian life.
They deserve better.
Given the nature of our Armed Forces, servicemembers have little to
no say as to where they serve and where they reside during their
military service. Thus, when transitioning servicemembers consider what
educational institution they want to attend, many of them choose a
school in their home State or a State where they previously served.
I have heard from too many veterans that many of these public
educational institutions consider them out-of-State students. Given
that the Post-9/11 GI Bill only covers in-State tuition and fees for
public educational institutions, these veterans are left to cover the
difference in cost between the in-State tuition rate and the out-of-
State tuition rate. In some States, this difference can be more than
$20,000 per year. As a result, many of our Nation's veterans must use
loans to cover this difference and in the process become indebted with
large school loans that will take years to pay off.
I applaud the States that have taken initiative to assist our
veterans by recognizing them as in-State students for purposes of
attending a public educational institution. Yet, there are too many
States that still require transitioning veterans to meet stringent
residency requirements before they can be considered in-State students.
Recently separated veterans may not be able to meet such requirements
because of their military service, and once enrolled, they cannot
legally establish residency because of their status as full-time
students.
The Veterans Educational Transition Act of 2013 would require States,
as a condition for course approval under the Post-9/11 GI Bill or
Montgomery GI Bill, to recognize certain veterans and their dependents
using these education benefits as in-State students for purposes of
attending a public institution. The veteran must be within 2 years from
the date of discharge, and the individual using the benefit must live
in the State while attending the school.
This legislation would help our brave men and women who have
sacrificed so much in defense of our country transition to the civilian
workforce by giving them a fair shot at attaining their educational
goals without incurring an additional financial burden simply because
they chose to serve their country.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 944
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' Educational
Transition Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. APPROVAL OF COURSES OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY PUBLIC
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR PURPOSES
OF ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM AND POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
CONDITIONAL ON IN-STATE TUITION RATE FOR
VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Section 3679 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter and subject to paragraphs (3) through (5), the
Secretary shall disapprove a course of education provided by
a public institution of higher education to a covered
individual pursuing a course of education with educational
assistance under chapter 30 or 33 of this title while living
in the State in which the public institution of higher
education is located if the institution charges tuition and
fees for that course for the covered individual at a rate
that is higher than the rate the institution charges for
tuition and fees for that course for residents of the State
in which the institution is located, regardless of the
covered individual's State of residence.
``(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual
is any individual as follows:
``(A) A veteran who was discharged or released from a
period of not fewer than 180 days of service in the active
military, naval, or air service less than two years before
the date of enrollment in the course concerned.
``(B) An individual who is entitled to assistance under
section 3311(b)(9) or 3319 of this title by virtue such
individual's relationship to a veteran described in
subparagraph (A).
``(3) It shall not be grounds to disapprove a course of
education under paragraph (1) if a public institution of
higher education requires a covered individual pursuing a
course of education at the institution to demonstrate an
intent to establish residency in
[[Page S3433]]
the State in which the institution is located in order to be
charged tuition and fees for that course at a rate that is
equal to or less than the rate the institution charges for
tuition and fees for that course for residents of the State.
``(4) The Secretary may waive such requirements of
paragraph (1) as the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(5) Disapproval under paragraph (1) shall apply only with
respect to educational assistance under chapters 30 and 33 of
this title.''.
(b) Effective Date.--Subsection (c) of section 3679 of
title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of
this section) shall apply with respect to educational
assistance provided for pursuit of programs of education
during academic terms that begin after July 1, 2015.
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