[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2911-S2912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 794. Ms. ROSEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
her 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 end of title V, add the following:
Subtitle __--Veteran Education Empowerment
SEC. 5__. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Veteran Education
Empowerment Act''.
SEC. 5__. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) More than 1,000,000 veterans attend institutions of
higher education each year.
(2) Veterans face unique challenges in transitioning from
the battlefield to the classroom and eventually to the
workforce, including: age differences, family obligations,
significant time away from academic life, and service-related
disabilities.
(3) The National Education Association found that student
veterans can feel lonely and vulnerable on campus and that
``connecting student veterans can effectively ease this
isolation'' by bringing together new student veterans with
those who have already successfully navigated the first few
semesters of college.
(4) According to Mission United--a United Way program that
helps veterans re-acclimate to civilian life--it is often
``essential'' for student veterans to be mentored by
``another veteran who understands their mindset and
experience''.
(5) Student Veteran Centers are recognized as an
institutional best practice by Student Veterans of America.
(6) The American Council on Education, which represents
more than 1,700 institutions of higher education across the
United States, has called having a dedicated space for
veterans on campus ``a promising way for colleges and
universities to better serve veterans on campus'' and a
``critical'' component of many colleges' efforts to serve
their student veterans.
(7) The Department of Education included as one of its 8
Keys to Veterans' Success that colleges and universities
should ``coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all
veterans, together with the creation of a designated space
for them''.
(8) Budget constraints often make it difficult or
impossible for institutions of higher education to dedicate
space to veteran offices, lounges, or student centers.
(9) The 110th Congress authorized the funding of Student
Veteran Centers through the Centers of Excellence for Veteran
Student Success under part T of title VIII of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t). Congress also chose
to appropriate funding for this program for fiscal year 2015
under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations
Act, 2015 (Public Law 113-235).
(10) According to the Department of Education, federally
funded Student Veteran Centers and staff have generated
improved recruitment, retention, and graduation rates, have
helped student veterans feel better connected across campus,
and have directly contributed to the successful academic
outcomes of student veterans.
SEC. 5__. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE
STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS.
Part T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1161t) is amended to read as follows:
``PART T--GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS
``SEC. 873. GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations under subsection (h), the Secretary shall
award grants to institutions of higher education or consortia
of institutions of higher education to assist in the
establishment, maintenance, improvement, and operation of
Student Veteran Centers.
``(b) Eligibility.--
``(1) Application.--An institution or consortium seeking a
grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Criteria.--The Secretary may award a grant under
subsection (a) to an institution or a consortium if the
institution or consortium meets each of the following
criteria:
``(A) The institution or consortium enrolls in
undergraduate or graduate courses--
``(i) a significant number of student veterans, members of
the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or members of a
reserve component of the Armed Forces; or
``(ii) a significant percentage of student veterans,
members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or
members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces,
as measured by comparing, for the most recent academic year
for which data are available, the number or percentage of
student veterans, members of the Armed Forces serving on
active duty, and members of a reserve component of the Armed
Forces who are enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses
at the institution or consortium, with the average number or
percentage of student veterans, members of the Armed Forces
serving on active duty, and members of a reserve component of
the Armed Forces who were enrolled in undergraduate or
graduate courses at comparable institutions or consortia of
institutions.
``(B) The institution or consortium presents a
sustainability plan to demonstrate that the Student Veteran
Center will be maintained and will continue to operate after
the grant period has ended.
``(3) Selection criteria.--In awarding grants under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide the following:
``(A) Priority consideration to institutions or consortia
that meet one or more of the following criteria:
``(i) The institution or consortium is located in a region
or community that has a significant population of veterans.
``(ii) The institution or consortium considers the need to
serve student veterans at a wide range of institutions of
higher education, including the need to provide equitable
distribution of grants to institutions of various sizes,
geographic locations, and institutions in urban and rural
areas.
``(iii) The institution or consortium carries out programs
or activities that assist veterans in the local community,
and the spouses or partners and children of student veterans.
``(iv) The institution or consortium partners in its
veteran-specific programming with nonprofit veteran service
organizations, local workforce development organizations, or
other institutions of higher education.
``(v) The institution or consortium commits to hiring a
staff at the Student Veteran Center that includes veterans
(including student veteran volunteers and student veterans
participating in a Federal work-study program under part C of
title IV, a work-study program administered by the Secretary
of Veteran Affairs, or a State work-study program).
``(vi) The institution or consortium commits to providing
an orientation for student veterans that--
``(I) is separate from the new student orientation provided
by the institution or consortium; and
``(II) provides student veterans with information on the
benefits and resources available to such students at or
through the institution or consortium.
``(vii) The institution or consortium commits to using a
portion of the grant received under this section to develop
or maintain a student veteran retention program carried out
by the Student Veteran Center.
``(viii) The institution or consortium commits to providing
mental health counseling to its student veterans (and the
spouses or partners and children of such students).
``(B) Equitable distribution of such grants to institutions
or consortia of various sizes, geographic locations, and in
urban and rural areas.
``(c) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--An institution or consortium that is
awarded a grant under subsection (a) shall use such grant to
establish, maintain, improve, or operate a Student Veteran
Center.
``(2) Other allowable uses.--An institution or consortium
receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use a portion of
such grant to carry out supportive instruction services for
student veterans, including--
``(A) assistance with special admissions and transfer of
credit from previous postsecondary education or experience;
and
``(B) any other support services the institution or
consortium determines to be necessary to ensure the success
of student veterans in achieving education and career goals.
``(d) Amounts Awarded.--
``(1) Duration.--Each grant awarded under subsection (a)
shall be for a 4-year period.
``(2) Total amount of grant and schedule.--Each grant
awarded under subsection (a) may not exceed a total of
$500,000. The Secretary shall disburse to an institution or
consortium the amount awarded under the grant in such amounts
and at such times during the grant period as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(e) Report.--From the amounts appropriated to carry out
this section, and not later than 3 years after the date on
which the first grant is awarded under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the grant
program established under subsection (a), including--
``(1) the number of grants awarded;
``(2) the institutions of higher education and consortia
that have received grants;
``(3) with respect to each such institution of higher
education and consortium--
``(A) the amounts awarded;
``(B) how such institution or consortium used such amounts;
``(C) a description of the demographics of student veterans
(and spouses or partners and children of such students) to
whom services were offered as a result of the award,
including students who are women and belong to minority
groups;
[[Page S2912]]
``(D) the number of student veterans (and spouses or
partners and children of such students) to whom services were
offered as a result of the award, and a description of the
services that were offered and provided; and
``(E) data enumerating whether the use of the amounts
awarded helped student veterans at the institution or
consortium toward completion of a degree, certificate, or
credential;
``(4) best practices for student veteran success,
identified by reviewing data provided by institutions and
consortia that received a grant under this section; and
``(5) a determination by the Secretary with respect to
whether the grant program under this section should be
extended or expanded.
``(f) Department of Education Best Practices Website.--
Subject to the availability of appropriations under
subsection (h) and not later than 3 years after the date on
which the first grant is awarded under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall develop and implement a website for Student
Veteran Centers at institutions of higher education, which
details best practices for serving student veterans at
institutions of higher education.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given the
term in section 101.
``(2) Student veteran center.--The term `Student Veteran
Center' means a dedicated space on a campus of an institution
of higher education that provides students who are veterans,
members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or
members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces with the
following:
``(A) A lounge or meeting space for such student veterans
(and the spouses or partners and children of such students),
and veterans in the community.
``(B) A centralized office for student veteran services
that--
``(i) is a single point of contact to coordinate
comprehensive support services for student veterans;
``(ii) is staffed by trained employees and volunteers,
which includes veterans and at least one full-time employee
or volunteer who is trained as a veterans' benefits
counselor;
``(iii) provides student veterans with assistance relating
to--
``(I) transitioning from the military to student life;
``(II) transitioning from the military to the civilian
workforce;
``(III) networking with other student veterans and veterans
in the community;
``(IV) understanding and obtaining benefits provided by the
institution of higher education, Federal Government, and
State for which such students may be eligible;
``(V) understanding how to succeed in the institution of
higher education, including by understanding academic
policies, the course selection process, and institutional
policies and practices related to the transfer of academic
credits; and
``(VI) understanding disability-related rights and
protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); and
``(iv) provides comprehensive academic and tutoring
services for student veterans, including peer-to-peer
tutoring and academic mentorship.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part such
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each of the
7 succeeding fiscal years.''.
______