[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 127 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4584-S4585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 676. Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of part II of subtitle F of title V, add the 
     following:

     SEC. ___. AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF SPOUSES FOR COSTS OF 
                   PROFESSIONAL RE-LICENSURE AND RE-CERTIFICATION 
                   IN A NEW STATE IN CONNECTION WITH PERMANENT 
                   CHANGES OF STATION OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES.

       Section 1784a(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3)(A) If established under this subsection, the program 
     under this subsection shall provide for the reimbursement of 
     a spouse of a member of the armed forces described in 
     subsection (b) (and without regard to the exception in 
     subsection (c)) for costs incurred by the spouse in obtaining 
     professional re-licensure or re-certification in a new State 
     in association with the member's permanent change of station 
     to a location in such State.
       ``(B) Reimbursement under this paragraph shall be available 
     for any of the following:
       ``(i) Application fees to a State board, bar association, 
     or other certifying or licensing body.
       ``(ii) Exam fees and registration fees paid to a licensing 
     body.
       ``(iii) Costs of additional coursework required for 
     eligibility for licensing or certification specific to State 
     concerned (other than costs in connection with continuing 
     education courses).
       ``(C)(i) The total amount of reimbursement of a spouse 
     under this paragraph in connection with a particular change 
     of station may not exceed $500.
       ``(ii) Eligibility for reimbursement may not be limited by 
     the grade of the member concerned.
       ``(D) The total amount reimbursement under this paragraph 
     in any fiscal year may not exceed $2,000,000.
       ``(E) Reimbursements under this paragraph shall be 
     distributed on a quarterly basis.
       ``(F) This paragraph shall expire on the enactment of a 
     credit against the tax imposed by subpart B of part IV of 
     subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified 
     re-licensing costs of an individual who is married to a 
     member of the

[[Page S4585]]

     armed forces and who moves to another State with such member 
     under a permanent change of station order.''.
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