Official Summaries

Veterans Education and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025 or the VETS Opportunity Act of 2025

This bill modifies which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits.

The bill requires independent study programs that lead to a certificate that reflects graduation from a course of study to include regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors.

The bill allows such independent study programs to be offered by any institutions of higher education, including for-profit institutions, that are approved to participate in the Department of Education’s financial assistance programs.

Veterans Education and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025 or the VETS Opportunity Act of 2025

This bill addresses the administration of and eligibility for certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance benefits and programs.

The bill modifies the process for repaying service members and veterans who paid to keep benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, but later chose to utilize Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Specifically, the bill requires that the VA issue a repayment within 60 days of an individual exhausting their eligibility for Post-9/11 benefits, regardless of their housing stipend eligibility.

The bill also modifies which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits. The bill requires independent study programs that lead to a certificate that reflects graduation from a course of study to include regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors. Additionally, the bill allows such independent study programs to be offered by any institutions of higher education, including for-profit institutions, that are approved to participate in the Department of Education’s financial assistance programs.

Upon receiving orders for active service, inactive duty training, or state active duty, the bill authorizes a member of the Armed Forces or reserves to enter into an agreement with their educational institution to complete a course of education to the satisfaction of the institution if they have completed at least half of the course.

The bill extends through March 31, 2033, a pension cap for veterans who are being furnished VA domiciliary care.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1458 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 1458


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 3, 2026

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for 
  approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the 
 educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``Veterans Education and Technical 
Skills Opportunity Act of 2025'' or the ``VETS Opportunity Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS 
              TOWARDS POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE: TIMING; 
              MECHANISM FOR INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MONTHLY 
              HOUSING STIPEND.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (f) of section 3327 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``together'' and all that 
        follows through ``before'' and inserting ``not later than 60 
        days after''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Additional assistance for an individual not eligible 
        for a monthly housing stipend.--In the case of an individual 
        making an election under subsection (a) who is described by 
        subparagraph (A), (C), or (E) of paragraph (1) of that 
        subsection, and who is not eligible for a monthly stipend 
        payable under section 3313(c) of this title, the educational 
        assistance payable to the individual under this chapter shall 
        be paid--
                    ``(A) in a lump sum calculated by multiplying--
                            ``(i) the total amount of contributions 
                        described in paragraph (1)(A) with regards to 
                        such individual; and
                            ``(ii) the sum of the number of months 
                        described in subclauses (I) and (II) of 
                        paragraph (1)(B)(i) with regards to such 
                        individual; and
                    ``(B) to the individual not later than 60 days 
                after the exhaustion of the individual's entitlement to 
                educational assistance under this chapter.''.
    (b) Technical Corrections and Conforming Amendment.--Such 
subsection is further amended--
            (1) by striking ``paragraphs (2) through (7)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraphs (2) through (6)''; and
            (2) in paragraph (1), in the heading, by inserting ``for an 
        individual eligible for a monthly housing stipend'' after 
        ``Additional assistance''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on August 1, 2026.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS UNDER 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3680A(a)(4)(A)(ii)(III) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``that requires regular and substantive 
        interaction between students and instructors'' after ``course 
        of study'';
            (2) in item (aa), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (3) in item (bb), by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``; 
        or''; and
            (4) by adding at the end by following new item:
                                            ``(cc) an institution of 
                                        higher education, as such term 
                                        is defined in section 102 of 
                                        the Higher Education Act of 
                                        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002), that is 
                                        approved to participate or 
                                        participating in the student 
                                        financial assistance programs 
                                        authorized by title IV of that 
                                        Act; and''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, that 
begins on or after August 1, 2026.

SEC. 4. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CERTAIN SERVICE.

    (a) Options.--Section 3691A of such title is amended by striking 
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(1) A covered member may, after receiving orders to enter a 
period of covered service--
            ``(A) withdraw from covered education;
            ``(B) take a leave of absence from covered education; or
            ``(C) subject to subsection (d), enter into an agreement 
        with the institution concerned to complete a course of covered 
        education to the satisfaction of such institution concerned.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Such subsection is further amended, in 
paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``or takes a leave of absence'' and 
inserting ``, takes a leave of absence, or enters into an agreement''.
    (c) Agreement.--Such section is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting, after subsection (c), the following new 
        subsection (d):
    ``(d) Agreement With Institution Concerned.--A covered member may 
enter into an agreement under subsection (a) only if the covered member 
has completed at least half of a course of covered education.''.
    (d) Section Heading.--Such section is further amended by striking 
the heading and inserting ``Absence from certain education due to 
certain service''.
    (e) 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 3691A and inserting the following new item:

``3691A. Absence from certain education due to certain service.''.

SEC. 5. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE SURVEYS.

    Section 3693 of such title is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``not more than 10 business days of 
                notice'';
                    (B) by striking ``this section.'' and inserting 
                ``this section--''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(1) in the case of an educational institution or training 
        establishment with a time stamp database collection feature, 
        not fewer than 10, and not more than 15, business days of 
        notice; and
            ``(2) in the case of any other educational institution or 
        training establishment, not more than 10 business days of 
        notice.''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following 
        new subsection (d):
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The terms `educational institution' and `training 
        establishment' have the meanings given such terms in section 
        3452 of this title.
            ``(2) The term `school certifying official' means an 
        employee of an educational institution with primary 
        responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
        educational institution.''.

SEC. 6. NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS OF HANDBOOK 
              UPDATES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 14 business days after updating the 
school certifying official handbook of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide notice to all 
school certifying officials of such update.
    (b) School Certifying Official Defined.--The term ``school 
certifying official'' means an employee of an educational institution 
with primary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
educational institution.

SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

    Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``January 31, 2033'' and inserting ``May 31, 2034''.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 2, 2026.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.