,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #afhb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ab1 
#bjac,mr4 ,casey introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to make certain clarifications and      
improvements in the academic and        
vocational counseling programs          
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,veterans ,education
 ,counseling ,act of #bjac4  #b4        
,clarification and improvement of the   
provision of academic and vocational    
counseling to eligible veterans by the  
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7   
,academic ,counseling and ,educational  
,information ,service ,section #cfig;,a 
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by    
striking counseling services1 including 

and inserting a program of counseling   
services1 to be known as the ,academic  
,counseling and ,educational            
,information ,service4 ,such counseling 
services shall include2  7#b7 in        
subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 by inserting 7#a7 
before ,the ,secretary shall2 and  7,b7 
by adding at the end the following3     
7#b7 ,in making such information        
available under this subsection1 the    
,secretary shall make available         
information about the definitions1      
eligibility requirements1 and services  
provided under this section and         
information about how the counseling    
services provided under this section    
differ from the services provided under 
section #cajd7;a77#b7 of this title4    
7#c7 ,at a minimum1 the ,secretary shall
 make such information available to an  
individual described in subsection 7b7  
before the individual applies for       
educational assistance described in     
subsection 7b77#a74  2 and  7#c7 by     
adding at the end the following new     

subsections3  7f7 ,the ,secretary shall 
maintain an ,internet website on which--
 7#a7 a person is able to request       
counseling services under this section  
in such a manner that clearly           
distinguishes such services from        
counseling services available under     
section #cajd7;a77#b7 of this title2 and
  7#b7 an individual receiving          
counseling services under this section  
is able to receive such services using a
 web-based counseling tool and to       
confidentially access aptitude tests4   
7g7 ,the primary goal of the counseling 
services provided under this section is 
to provide to individuals assistance    
in-- 7#a7 pursuing postsecondary        
education and training opportunities2   
7#b7 obtaining information regarding    
available postsecondary educational and 
training opportunities2  7#c7 obtaining 
career-related information and data on  
available postsecondary educational and 
training opportunities2  7#d7 selecting 
a program of education or training2 and 

7#e7 addressing other needs relating to 
education4  7h7 ,services provided under
 this section are different from the    
services provided under section         
#cajd7;a77#b7 of this title and do not  
involve rehabilitation services4  4  7b7
 ,vocational rehabilitation counseling  
7#a7 ,electronic application ,section   
#cajb of such title is amended by adding
 at the end the following new           
subsection3  7c7 ,electronic application
 for benefits ,the ,secretary shall     
maintain an ,internet website on which a
 person is able to submit an application
 for benefits under this chapter4  4    
7#b7 ,clarification regarding           
eligibility ,veterans are only eligible 
for counseling services provided under  
section #cajd7;a77#b7 of title #ch1     
,united ,states ,code1 if they are      
entitled to a rehabilitation program    
under chapter #ca of such title4 ,not   
all veterans who are transitioning from 
service on active duty in the ,armed    
,forces are eligible for such services4 

7#c7 ,goal of program ,the primary goal 
of the counseling services provided     
under section #cajd7;a77#b7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is to help  
veterans eligible for such services to  
prepare for1 obtain1 and retain         
employment4