,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bcda  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ae1 #bjad
 ,mr4 ,kaine introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,armed ,services   
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #aj1 ,united 
,states ,code1 to enhance the authority 
for members of the ,armed ,forces to    
obtain professional credentials4  #a4   
,enhancement of authority for members of
 the ,armed ,forces to obtain           
professional credentials  7a7 ,in       
general ,paragraph 7#a7 of subsection   
7a7 of section #bjae of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
striking professional accreditation and 
all that follows through certification  
and inserting ,state-imposed licenses1  
,federal occupational licenses1 and     
professional certification4  7b7        
,limitations ,subsection 7b7 of such    
section is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting  
7#a7 before ,the authority2 and  7#b7 by
 adding at the end the following new    

paragraphs3  7#b7 ,the authority under  
subsection 7a7 may not be used to pay   
the expenses of a member to obtain      
professional credentials unless such    
credentials are recognized and approved 
by the armed force concerned as         
necessary to meet-- 7,a7 readiness      
requirements or professional            
occupational development goals of such  
armed force2 or  7,b7 the               
self-development requirements of the    
member4  7#c7 ,except as provided in    
paragraph 7#d71 the authority under     
subsection 7a7 may not be used to pay   
the expenses of obtaining professional  
credentials unless-- 7,a7 such          
credentials are accredited under        
,international ,organization for        
,standardization_/,international        
,commission 7,,iso_/,,iec7 ,standard    
#agjbd-bjab1 entitled ,general          
,requirements for ,bodies ,operating    
,certification of ,persons2 and  7,b7   
the entity accrediting such credentials 
provides documentary evidence to the    

,secretary of ,defense that it complies 
,international ,organization for        
,standardization_/,international        
,commission ,standard #agjaa1 entitled  
,conformity assessment--,general        
requirements for accreditation bodies   
accrediting conformity assessment       
bodies4  7#d7 ,during the three-year    
period beginning on the date of the     
authorization of the ,credentialing     
agency by the ,department of ,defense1  
the authority under subsection 7a7 may  
be used to pay the expenses of obtaining
 professional credentials from an entity
 not complying with the ,standards      
referred to in paragraph 7#c7 if the    
entity certifies in writing to the      
,secretary of ,defense that the entity  
agrees to seek to obtain certification  
of compliance with the ,standards before
 the end of such period4  4  7c7 ,funds 
available ,such section is further      
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by    
striking may pay in the matter preceding
 paragraph 7#a7 and inserting may1 using

 funds described in subsection 7c71 pay2
 and  7#b7 by adding at the end the     
following new subsection3  7c7 ,funds   
available ,payments may be made under   
the authority under subsection 7a7 by   
the ,secretary making such payments from
 amounts available to such ,secretary   
for tuition assistance for members under
 the jurisdiction of such ,secretary4  4
  7d7 ,covered expenses ,such section is
 further amended by adding at the end   
the following new subsection3  7d7      
,expenses defined ,in this section1 the 
term expenses means expenses for        
classroom instruction1 hands-on training
 7and associated materials71 manuals1   
study guides and materials1 text books1 
processing fees1 and test fees and      
related fees4  4