[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2682-S2683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 553. Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Mr. Rounds) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:
SEC. 10__. IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF
VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.
(a) Requirement Relating to G.I. Bill Comparison Tool.--
(1) Requirement to maintain tool.--The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall maintain the G.I. Bill Comparison Tool
that was established pursuant to Executive Order 13607 (77
Fed. Reg. 25861; relating to establishing principles of
excellence for educational institutions serving service
members, veterans, spouses, and other family members) and in
effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, or successor tool, to provide relevant and timely
information about programs of education approved under
chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, and the
educational institutions that offer such programs.
(2) Data retention.--The Secretary shall ensure that
historical data that is reported via the tool maintained
under paragraph (1) remains easily and prominently accessible
on the benefits.va.gov website, or successor website, for a
period of not less than seven years from the date of initial
publication.
(b) Providing Timely and Relevant Education Information to
Veterans, Members of the Armed Forces, and Other
Individuals.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall make
such changes to the tool maintained under subsection (a) as
the Secretary determines appropriate to ensure that such tool
is an effective and efficient method for providing
information pursuant to section 3698(b)(5) of title 38,
United States Code.
(2) Modification of scope of comprehensive policy on
providing education information.--Section 3698 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``veterans and members
of the Armed Forces'' and inserting ``individuals entitled to
educational assistance under laws administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs''; and
(B) in subsection (b)(5)--
(i) by striking ``veterans and members of the Armed
Forces'' and inserting ``individuals described in subsection
(a)''; and
(ii) by striking ``the veteran or member'' and inserting
``the individual''.
(3) G.I. bill comparison tool required disclosures.--
Paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of such section is amended--
(A) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following:
``(B) for each individual described in subsection (a)
seeking information provided under subsection (b)(5) the name
of each Federal student aid program, and a description of
each such program, from which the individual may receive
educational assistance.''.
(B) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ``and a definition of each
type of institution;'' before the semicolon;
(ii) in clause (iv), by inserting ``and if so, which
programs;'' before the semicolon;
(iii) by striking clause (v) and inserting the following:
``(v) the average annual cost to earn an associate's degree
and a bachelor's degree, with available cost information on
any other degree or credential the institution awards;'';
(iv) in clause (vi), by inserting before the semicolon
``disaggregated by--
``(I) individuals who received a credential and individuals
who did not; and
``(II) individuals using educational assistance under laws
administered by the Secretary and individuals who are not'';
(v) in clause (xv), by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(vi) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
``(xvi) transfer-out rates;
``(xvii) credentials available and the average time for
completion of each credential;
``(xviii) employment rate and median income of graduates of
the institution in general, disaggregated by--
``(I) specific credential; and
``(II) individuals using educational assistance under laws
administered by the Secretary and individuals who are not;
``(xix) the number of individuals using educational
assistance under laws administered by the Secretary who are
enrolled in the institution per year; and
``(xx) a list of each civil settlement or finding resulting
from a Federal or State action in a court of competent
jurisdiction against the institution for violation of a
provision of Federal or State law that materially affects the
education provided at the institution or is the result of
illicit activity, including deceptive marketing or
misinformation provided to prospective students or current
enrollees.''.
(4) Clarity of information provided.--Paragraph (2) of such
subsection is amended--
(A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``To the extent''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(B) The Secretary shall ensure that information provided
under subsection (b)(5) is provided in a manner that is easy
and accessible to individuals described in subsection (a).''.
(c) Improvements for Student Feedback.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (b)(2) of such section is
amended--
(A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) provides institutions of higher learning up to 90
days to review and respond to any feedback and address issues
regarding the feedback before the feedback is published;'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
[[Page S2683]]
``(D) for each institution of higher learning that is
approved under this chapter, retains, maintains, and
publishes all of such feedback for the entire duration that
the institution of higher is approved under this chapter; and
``(E) is easily accessible to individuals described in
subsection (a) and to the general public.''.
(2) Accessibility from g.i. bill comparison tool.--The
Secretary shall ensure that--
(A) the feedback tracked and published under subsection
(b)(2) of such section, as amended by paragraph (1), is
prominently displayed in the tool maintained under subsection
(a) of this section; and
(B) when such tool displays information for an institution
of higher learning, the applicable feedback is also displayed
for such institution of higher learning.
(d) Training for Provision of Education Counseling
Services.--
(1) In general.--Not less than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall ensure that
personnel employed or contracted by the Department of Veteran
Affairs to provide education benefits counseling, vocational
or transition assistance, or similar functions, including
employees or contractors of the Department who provide such
counseling or assistance as part of the Transition Assistance
Program, are trained on how--
(A) to use properly the tool maintained under subsection
(a); and
(B) to provide appropriate educational counseling services
to individuals described in section 3698(a) of such title, as
amended by subsection (b)(2)(A).
(2) Transition assistance program defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``Transition Assistance Program'' means
the program of counseling, information, and services under
section 1142 of title 10, United States Code.
SEC. 10__. RESTORATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO VETERANS EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE AND OTHER RELIEF FOR VETERANS
AFFECTED BY CIVIL ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 3699(b)(1) of title 38, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``; or'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(D) a Federal or State civil enforcement action against
the education institution; or
``(E) an action taken by the Secretary; and''.
(b) Mechanism.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish a simple mechanism that can be used by an
individual described in subsection (b)(1) of section 3699 of
such title by reason of subparagraph (C) or (D) of such
subsection, as added by subsection (a)(3) of this section, to
obtain relief under section 3699(a) of such title.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section heading.--The heading for section 3699 of such
title is amended by striking ``or disapproval of educational
institution'' and inserting ``of, disapproval of, or civil
enforcement actions against educational institutions''.
(2) Subsection heading.--The heading for subsection (a) of
such section is amended by striking ``or Disapproval'' and
inserting ``, Disapproval, Civil Enforcement Actions, and
Other Actions by Secretary of Veterans Affairs''.
(3) 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 3699 and inserting the following
new item:
``3699. Effects of closure of, disapproval of, or civil enforcement
actions against educational institutions.''.
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