    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 116-140
    116th Congress

    An Act

    To make certain improvements in the educational assistance benefits
    under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the
    case of changes to courses of education by reason of emergency
    situations, and for other purposes. <>

    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 ``Student Veteran Coronavirus Response
    Act of 2020''.
    SEC. 2. <>  COVERED PERIOD DEFINED.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``covered period'' means the
    period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 21, 2020.
    SEC. 3. <>  PAYMENT OF WORK-STUDY
    ALLOWANCES DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

    During <>  the covered period, the Secretary
    of Veterans Affairs shall apply section 3485 of title 38, United States
    Code, as if it were amended by adding at the end the following new
    subsection:

    ``(f)(1) In case of an individual who is in receipt of work-study
    allowance pursuant to an agreement described in subsection (a)(3) as of
    the date on which an emergency situation occurs and who is unable to
    continue to perform qualifying work-study activities described in
    subsection (a)(4) by reason of the emergency situation--
    ``(A) the Secretary may continue to pay work-study allowance
    under this section or make deductions described in subsection
    (e)(1) during the period of such emergency situation,
    notwithstanding the inability of the individual to perform such
    work-study activities by reason of such emergency situation; and
    ``(B) at the option of the individual, the Secretary shall
    extend the agreement described in subsection (a)(3) with the
    individual for any subsequent period of enrollment initiated
    during the emergency situation, notwithstanding the inability of
    the individual to perform work-study activities described in
    subsection (a)(4) by reason of such emergency situation.

    ``(2) <>  The amount of work-study allowance
    payable to an individual under paragraph (1)(A) during the period of an
    emergency situation shall be an amount determined by the Secretary but
    may not exceed the amount that would be payable under subsection (a)(2)
    if the individual worked 25 hours per week paid during such period.''.

    [[Page 632]]

    SEC. 4. <>  PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES TO
    VETERANS ENROLLED IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
    CLOSED FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

    (a) In General.--During the covered period, the Secretary may pay
    allowances to an eligible veteran or eligible person under section
    3680(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, if the veteran or person
    is enrolled in a program or course of education that--
    (1) is provided by an educational institution that is closed
    by reason of an emergency situation; or
    (2) is suspended by reason of an emergency situation.

    (b) <>  Amount of Allowance.--The total number
    of weeks for which allowances may be paid under this section may not
    exceed four weeks.

    (c) Not Counted for Purposes of Limitation.--Any amount paid under
    this section shall not be counted for purposes of the limitation on
    allowanced under section 3680(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code.
    SEC. 5. <>  PROHIBITION OF CHARGE TO
    ENTITLEMENT OF STUDENTS UNABLE TO PURSUE A
    PROGRAM OF EDUCATION DUE TO AN EMERGENCY
    SITUATION.

    During <>  the covered period, the Secretary
    of Veterans Affairs shall apply section 3699(b)(1) of title 38, United
    States Code, as if it were amended--
    (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
    (2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``and'' at the end
    and inserting ``or'' ; and
    (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(C) the temporary closure of an educational
    institution or the temporary closure or termination of a
    course or program of education by reason of an emergency
    situation; and''.
    SEC. 6. <>  EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATIONS
    FOR USE OF ENTITLEMENT.

    (a) <>  Montgomery GI Bill.--During the
    covered period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall apply section
    3031 of title 38, United States Code, as if it were amended by adding at
    the end the following new subsection:

    ``(i) In the case of an individual eligible for educational
    assistance under this chapter who is prevented from pursuing the
    individual's chosen program of education before the expiration of the
    10-year period for the use of entitlement under this chapter otherwise
    applicable under this section because the educational institution closed
    (temporarily or permanently) under an established policy based on an
    Executive order of the President or due to an emergency situation, such
    10-year period--
    ``(1) shall not run during the period the individual is so
    prevented from pursuing such program; and
    ``(2) shall again begin running on the first day after the
    individual is able to resume pursuit of a program of education
    with educational assistance under this chapter.''.

    (b) <>  Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.--
    (1) In general.--During the covered period, the Secretary of
    Veterans Affairs shall apply section 3321(b)(1) of such title as
    if it were amended--
    (A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``Subsections'';

    [[Page 633]]

    (B) by striking ``and (d)'' and inserting ``(d), and
    (i)''; and by adding at the end the following new
    subparagraph:
    ``(B) Subsection (i) of section 3031 (as described in
    section 6 of the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of
    2020) shall apply with respect to the running of the 15-year
    period described in paragraphs (4)(A) and (5)(A) of this
    subsection in the same manner as such subsection applies under
    section 3031 with respect to the running of the 10-year period
    described in section 3031(a).''.
    (2) <>  Transfer period.--During
    the covered period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
    apply section 3319(h)(5) of such title as if it were amended--
    (A) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ``or (C)''
    after ``subparagraph (B)''; and
    (B) by adding at the end the following new
    subparagraph:
    ``(C) <>  Emergency
    situations.--In any case in which the Secretary
    determines that an individual to whom entitlement is
    transferred under this section has been prevented from
    pursuing the individual's chosen program of education
    before the individual attains the age of 26 years
    because the educational institution closed (temporarily
    or permanently) under an established policy based on an
    Executive order of the President or due to an emergency
    situation, the Secretary shall extend the period during
    which the individual may use such entitlement for a
    period equal to the number of months that the individual
    was so prevented from pursuing the program of education,
    as determined by the Secretary.''.

    (c) <>  Vocational Rehabilitation and
    Training.--
    (1) <>  Period for use.--During the
    covered period, the Secretary of Veterans affairs shall apply
    section 3103 of such title as if it were amended--
    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``or (e)'' and
    inserting ``(e), or (g)''; and
    (B) by adding at the end the following new
    subsection:

    ``(g) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a veteran
    has been prevented from participating in a vocational rehabilitation
    program under this chapter within the twelve-year period of eligibility
    prescribed in subsection (a) by reason of an Executive order of the
    President or due to an emergency situation, such twelve-year period--
    ``(1) shall not run during the period the individual is so
    prevented from participating such program; and
    ``(2) shall again begin running on the first day after the
    individual is able to resume participation in such program.''.
    (2) <>  Duration of program.--
    During the covered period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
    shall apply section 3105(b) of such title as if it were
    amended--
    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)''
    and inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
    (B) by adding at the end the following new
    paragraph:

    ``(3)(A) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a
    veteran has been prevented from participating in counseling and
    placement and postplacement services described in section 3104(a)(2) and
    (5) of this title by reason of an Executive order of the President or
    due to an emergency situation, the Secretary

    [[Page 634]]

    shall extend the period during which the Secretary may provide such
    counseling and placement and postplacement services for the veteran for
    a period equal to the number of months that the veteran was so prevented
    from participating in such counseling and services, as determined by the
    Secretary.
    ``(B) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a veteran
    has been prevented from participating in a vocational rehabilitation
    program under this chapter by reason of an Executive order of the
    President or due to an emergency situation, the Secretary shall extend
    the period of the veteran's vocational rehabilitation program for a
    period equal to the number of months that the veteran was so prevented
    from participating in the vocational rehabilitation program, as
    determined by the Secretary.''.
    (d) <>  Educational Assistance for Members
    of the Selected Reserve.--During the covered period, the Secretary
    concerned shall apply section 16133(b) of title 10, United States Code,
    as if it were amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

    ``(5) In any case in which the Secretary concerned determines that a
    person entitled to educational assistance under this chapter has been
    prevented from using such person's entitlement by reason of an Executive
    order of the President or due to an emergency situation, the Secretary
    concerned shall extend the period of entitlement prescribed in
    subsection (a) for a period equal to the number of months that the
    person was so prevented from using such entitlement, as determined by
    the Secretary.''.
    SEC. 7. <>  RESTORATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO
    REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS AFFECTED
    BY SCHOOL CLOSURE OR DISAPPROVAL.

    (a) <>  Entitlement.--During the covered
    period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall apply section 3699 of
    title 38, United States Code, as if it were amended by striking
    ``chapter 30,'' each time it appears and inserting ``chapter 30, 31,''.

    (b) <>  Payment of Subsistence
    Allowances.--During the covered period, the Secretary of Veterans
    Affairs shall apply section 3680(a)(2)(B) of title 38, United States
    Code, as if it were amended--
    (1) by inserting ``or a subsistence allowance described in
    section 3108'' before ``, during''; and
    (2) by inserting ``or allowance'' after ``such a stipend''.
    SEC. 8. <>  EXTENSION OF PAYMENT OF
    VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SUBSISTENCE
    ALLOWANCES.

    In <>  the case of any veteran
    whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines is satisfactorily
    following a program of employment services provided under section
    3104(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, during the covered period,
    the Secretary may pay the veteran a subsistence allowance, as prescribed
    in section 3108 of such title for full-time training for the type of
    program that the veteran was pursuing, for two additional months.
    SEC. 9. EMERGENCY DESIGNATIONS.

    (a) In General.--This Act is designated as an emergency requirement
    pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2
    U.S.C. 933(g)).
    (b) Designation in Senate.--In the Senate, this Act is designated as
    an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4112(a)

    [[Page 635]]

    of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
    budget for fiscal year 2018.

    Approved April 28, 2020.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 6322:
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    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 166 (2020):
    Mar. 31, considered and passed House.
    Apr. 21, considered and passed Senate.