S. 863 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 863 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 6, 2013 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mr. Begich) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal time limitations on the eligibility for use of educational assistance under All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program, to improve veterans education outreach, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Back to School Act of 2013. 2. Repeal of time limitations on use of educational assistance under All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program (a) In general Section 3031 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (i) (1) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (g) and any other provision of law, the period during which a covered individual entitled to educational assistance under this chapter may use such covered individual's entitlement shall not end until the date that is 10 years after the date on which such covered individual begins using such benefit. (2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual is any individual— (A) whose basic pay was reduced under paragraph (1) of section 3011(b) of this title; or (B) with respect to whom an amount was collected under paragraph (2) of such section. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 3020(f) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) Subsection (i) of section 3031 of this title shall not apply for purposes of this subsection. . (c) Effective date Subsection (i) of section 3031 of such title, as added by subsection (a), and paragraph (4) of section 3020(f) of such title, as added by subsection (b), shall apply as if such subsection and such paragraph had been enacted immediately after the enactment of the Veterans' Educational Assistance Act of 1984 (Public Law 98–525; 98 Stat. 2553). 3. Veterans education outreach program (a) Establishment Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end of subchapter II the following new section: 3697B. Veterans education outreach program (a) In general The Secretary shall provide funding for offices of veterans affairs at institutions of higher learning, as defined in section 3452(f), in accordance with this section. (b) Payments to institutions of higher learning (1) (A) The Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, make payments to any institution of higher learning, under and in accordance with this section, during any fiscal year if the number of persons eligible for services from offices assisted under this section at the institution is at least 50, determined in the same manner as the number of eligible veterans or eligible persons is determined under section 3684(c) of this title. (B) The persons who are eligible for services from the offices assisted under this section are persons receiving educational assistance administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, including assistance provided under chapter 1606 of title 10. (2) To be eligible for a payment under this section, an institution of higher learning or a consortium of institutions of higher learning, as described in paragraph (3), shall submit an application to the Secretary. The application shall— (A) set forth such policies, assurances, and procedures that will ensure that— (i) the funds received by the institution, or each institution in a consortium of institutions described in paragraph (3), under this section will be used solely to carry out this section; (ii) for enhancing the functions of its veterans education outreach program, the applicant will expend, during the academic year for which a payment is sought, an amount equal to at least the amount of the award under this section from sources other than this or any other Federal program; and (iii) the applicant will submit to the Secretary such reports as the Secretary may require or as are required by this section; (B) contain such other statement of policies, assurances, and procedures as the Secretary may require in order to protect the financial interests of the United States; (C) set forth such plans, policies, assurances, and procedures as will ensure that the applicant will maintain an office of veterans' affairs which has responsibility for— (i) veterans' certification, outreach, recruitment, and special education programs, including the provision of or referral to educational, vocational, and personal counseling for veterans; and (ii) providing information regarding other services provided veterans by the Department, including the readjustment counseling program authorized under section 1712A of this title and the programs carried out under chapters 41 and 42 of this title; and (D) be submitted at such time or times, in such manner, in such form, and contain such information as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the functions of the Secretary under this section. (3) An institution of higher learning which is eligible for funding under this section and which the Secretary determines cannot feasibly carry out, by itself, any or all of the activities set forth in paragraph (2)(C), may carry out such program or programs through a consortium agreement with one or more other institutions of higher learning in the same community. (4) The Secretary shall not approve an application under this subsection unless the Secretary determines that the applicant will implement the requirements of paragraph (2)(C) within the first academic year during which it receives a payment under this section. (c) Amount of payments (1) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the amount of the payment which any institution shall receive under this section for any fiscal year shall be $100 for each person who is described in subsection (b)(1)(B). (B) The maximum amount of payments to any institution of higher learning, or any branch thereof which is located in a community which is different from that in which the parent institution thereof is located, in any fiscal year is $150,000. (2) (A) The Secretary shall pay to each institution of higher learning which has had an application approved under subsection (b) the amount which it is to receive under this section. If the amount appropriated for any fiscal year is not sufficient to pay the amounts which all such institutions are to receive, the Secretary shall ratably reduce such payments. If any amount becomes available to carry out this section for a fiscal year after such reductions have been imposed, such reduced payments shall be increased on the same basis as they were reduced. (B) In making payments under this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall apportion the appropriation for making such payments, from funds which become available as a result of the limitation on payments set forth in paragraph (1)(B), in an equitable manner. (d) Coordination and provision of assistance, technical consultation, and information The Secretary, in carrying out the provisions of this section, shall seek to assure the coordination of programs assisted under this section with other programs carried out by the Department pursuant to this title, and the Secretary shall provide all assistance, technical consultation, and information otherwise authorized by law as necessary to promote the maximum effectiveness of the activities and programs assisted under this section. (e) Best practices and administration (1) From the amounts made available for any fiscal year under subsection (f), the Secretary shall retain one percent or $20,000, whichever is less, for the purpose of collecting information about exemplary veterans educational outreach programs and disseminating that information to other institutions of higher learning having such programs on their campuses. Such collection and dissemination shall be done on an annual basis. (2) From the amounts made available under subsection (f), the Secretary may retain not more than two percent for the purpose of administering this section. (f) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and each fiscal year thereafter. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3697A the following new item: 3697B. Veterans education outreach program. .