Bill Details
HR.1527 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-04-09 - Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Introduced Date
2025-02-24
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
7
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would make a few changes to how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles education benefits for veterans and service members. It gives covered service members more ways to deal with school if they are called to service, including withdrawing, taking a leave of absence, or making an agreement with the school to finish the course later. It also changes some VA school compliance rules to make them easier for certain schools to follow, especially schools with multiple campuses. Finally, it requires the VA to quickly tell school officials when it updates its handbook, so schools can stay up to date on the rules for certifying veteran students.
- A service member who is ordered to active or covered service could withdraw from school, take a leave of absence, or work out a plan with the school to complete the course later.
- The agreement to finish the course later would only be allowed if the student has already completed at least half of the course.
- For VA compliance checks, a school with multiple campuses would only need to complete one annual survey if one school certifying official handles veteran enrollment for all campuses.
- The bill also sets different notice deadlines for compliance surveys and requires the VA to notify all school certifying officials within 14 business days after updating its handbook.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1527 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1527
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to
educational assistance, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 24, 2025
Mr. James introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to
educational assistance, 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 ``Reforming Education for Veterans
Act''.
SEC. 2. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CERTAIN SERVICE.
(a) Options.--Section 3691A of title 38, United States Code, 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 by--
(1) 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 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. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE SURVEYS.
Section 3693 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(3) In conducting annual compliance surveys under this
subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that an educational institution
or training establishment with multiple campuses is only required to
complete one such survey if one school certifying official certifies
veteran enrollment for all such campuses.'';
(2) 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 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
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(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. 4. 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.
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