    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 115-422
    115th Congress

    An Act

    To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a tiger team
    dedicated to addressing the difficulties encountered by the Department
    of Veterans Affairs in carrying out section 3313 of title 38, United
    States Code, after the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of the Harry W.
    Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017. <>

    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 ``Forever GI Bill Housing Payment
    Fulfillment Act of 2018''.
    SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
    (1) On August 16, 2017, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans
    Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48) (known by
    some as the ``Forever GI Bill'') was enacted into law.
    (2) Such Act makes certain improvements to the Post-9/11
    Educational Assistance program for veterans, including
    improvements relating to how the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
    calculates the amount of payments for monthly housing stipends
    under that program.
    (3) Section 107 of such Act (Public Law 115-48; 33 U.S.C.
    3313 note) requires the Secretary to calculate the amount of
    payments for monthly housing stipends based on the location of
    the campus of the institution of higher learning where the
    individual attends classes, a change from the previous direction
    to make such calculation based on the location of the
    institution of higher learning.
    (4) Section 501 of such Act (Public Law 115-48; 37 U.S.C.
    403 note) repeals the inapplicability of a modification of the
    basic allowance for housing for members of the uniformed
    services to benefits administered by the Department of Veterans
    Affairs.
    (5) The amendments made by section 107 and 501 of such Act
    became effective on August 1, 2018, and January 1, 2018,
    respectively.
    (6) Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs
    have stated that the Department will not be able to determine
    proper payment amounts based on the amendment made by section
    107 of such Act until December 1, 2019.
    (7) Representatives of the Department have also stated that
    outdated information technology systems have stymied efforts to
    update necessary information that enable proper

    [[Page 5451]]

    housing payments as required by the provisions of law amended by
    sections 107 and 501 of such Act.

    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
    (1) as soon as possible, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
    should end the making of improper payment amounts for monthly
    stipends under section 3313 of title 38, United States Code;
    (2) by January 1, 2020, the Secretary should make whole the
    individuals entitled to payments of monthly stipends under
    section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, who have been
    underpaid as a result of the difficulties encountered by the
    Department of Veterans Affairs in carrying out such section
    after the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of the Harry W.
    Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law
    115-48); and
    (3) no individuals entitled to payments of monthly stipend
    under section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, who have
    been overpaid as a result of the difficulties encountered by the
    Department in carrying out such section after the enactment of
    sections 107 and 501 of such Act should have overpayments
    recuperated by the Department.
    SEC. 3. TIGER TEAM FOR HOUSING STIPENDS.

    (a) <>  Establishment.--Not later than one day
    after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
    Affairs shall establish a tiger team (in this section referred to as the
    ``Tiger Team'') dedicated to addressing the difficulties encountered by
    the Department of Veterans Affairs in carrying out section 3313 of title
    38, United States Code, after the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of
    the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public
    Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and 37 U.S.C. 403 note).

    (b) <>  Composition.--Not later than 15 days after
    the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
    Congress the names and titles of the employees of the Department who
    compose the Tiger Team established under subsection (a), including the
    name and title of the senior-level employee of the Department who serves
    as the lead accountable official of the Tiger Team.

    (c) Duties.--
    (1) <>  Submission to congress.--Not later
    than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
    Tiger Team shall submit to Congress the following:
    (A) <>  A plan describing the
    following:
    (i) How the Secretary will obtain the
    information necessary to determine the correct
    payment amounts for monthly stipends under section
    3313 of title 38, United States Code, made after
    the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of the Harry
    W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
    2017 (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and
    37 U.S.C. 403 note), from officials responsible
    for the certification of payments of monthly
    stipends made under section 3313 of such title.
    (ii) How the Secretary will modify the
    relevant information technology systems of the
    Department to correct the payment amounts for
    monthly stipends

    [[Page 5452]]

    under section 3313 of such title made after the
    enactment of sections 107 and 501 of such Act
    (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and 37
    U.S.C. 403 note) that were deficient.
    (iii) How the Secretary will identify all of
    the individuals who received payments of monthly
    stipends under section 3313 of such title that
    were not in compliance with such section, after
    the enactment of sections 107 and 501 of such Act
    (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and 37
    U.S.C. 403 note).
    (iv) How the Secretary will notify the
    individuals described in clause (iii).
    (v) The procedures the Secretary will use to
    correct the payments of monthly stipends under
    section 3313 of such title that were deficient as
    a result of the difficulties encountered by the
    Department of Veterans Affairs in carrying out
    such section after the enactment of sections 107
    and 501 of such Act (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C.
    3313 note and 37 U.S.C. 403 note).
    (B) <>  A complete timeline for the
    implementation of the plan described in subparagraph
    (A).
    (C) Any additional funding and personnel
    requirements necessary to support the implementation of
    the plan described in subparagraph (A), including any
    such requirements as may be necessary for staffing
    increases or relevant improvements to the information
    technology infrastructure of the Department.
    (2) Implementation.--
    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall implement the
    plan submitted under paragraph (1)(A).
    (B) <>  Periodic updates.--Not
    less frequently than once every 90 days after submission
    of the items under paragraph (1), the Tiger Team shall
    submit to Congress an update on the implementation of
    the plan described in subparagraph (A) of such
    paragraph.
    (3) Final report.--
    (A) In general.--Not later than July 1, 2020, the
    Tiger Team shall submit to the appropriate congressional
    committees a final report on the activities and findings
    of the Tiger Team.
    (B) Contents.--The report required by subparagraph
    (A) shall include the following:
    (i) The number of individuals who were
    affected by payments of monthly stipends under
    section 3313 of title 38, United States Code, that
    were not in compliance with such section after the
    enactment of sections 107 and 501 of the Harry W.
    Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
    2017 (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and
    37 U.S.C. 403 note).
    (ii) The number of individuals described in
    clause (i) who received deficient payments as a
    result of the difficulties encountered by the
    Department in carrying out section 3313 of such
    title after the enactment of sections 107 and 501
    of such Act (Public Law 115-48; 38 U.S.C. 3313
    note and 37 U.S.C. 403 note), and the total amount
    of the deficiency for each individual,
    disaggregated by State.

    [[Page 5453]]

    (iii) The number of individuals described in
    clause (ii) who have not received the amount of
    monthly stipend to which such individuals are
    entitled under section 3313 of such title and an
    explanation of why such individuals have not
    received such amounts.
    (iv) <>  A certification
    of whether the Department is fully compliant with
    sections 107 and 501 of such Act (Public Law 115-
    48; 38 U.S.C. 3313 note and 37 U.S.C. 403 note).
    (C) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--
    In this paragraph, the term ``appropriate congressional
    committees'' means the following:
    (i) The Subcommittee on Military Construction
    and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the
    Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on
    Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
    (ii) The Subcommittee on Military Construction
    and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the
    Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on
    Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.

    (d) Termination.--On the date that is 60 days after the date on
    which the Tiger Team submits the final report required by subsection
    (c)(3), the Secretary shall terminate the Tiger Team established under
    subsection (a).

    Approved January 3, 2019.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3777:
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    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
    Dec. 18, considered and passed Senate.
    Dec. 20, considered and passed House.