,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aeee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ac1 #bjag ,mr4 ,tillis 7for himself and ,mr4 ,kaine7 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 improve the administration of ,post-#i_/aa ,educational ,assistance by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,education ,experience ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,training for school certifying officials 7a7 ,training requirement ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall1 in consultation with the ,state approving agencies1 set forth requirements relating to training for school certifying officials employed by covered educational institutions offering courses of education approved under chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,disapproval ,if a covered educational institution does not ensure that a school certifying official employed by the educational institution meets such requirements1 the ,secretary may disapprove any course of education offered by such educational institution4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered educational institution ,the term covered educational institution means an educational institution that has enrolled #bj or more individuals using educational assistance under title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,school certifying official ,the term school certifying official means an employee of an educational institution with primary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the educational institution4 7#c7 ,state approving agency ,the term ,state approving agency means a department or agency of a ,state designated under section #cfga of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 #c4 ,limitation on number of certifications made by school certifying officials 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall1 in consultation with the ,state approving agencies1 set forth requirements for covered educational institutions offering courses of education approved under chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to employ one school certifying official for every #ejj unduplicated certifications made during a fiscal year4 ,if a covered educational institution does not ensure that enough school certifying officials are employed by the educational institution to meets such requirements1 the ,secretary may disapprove any course of education offered by such educational institution4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered educational institution ,the term covered educational institution means an educational institution that has enrolled #bj or more individuals using educational assistance under title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,school certifying official ,the term school certifying official means an employee of an educational institution with primary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the educational institution4 7#c7 ,state approving agency ,the term ,state approving agency means a department or agency of a ,state designated under section #cfga of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 #d4 ,limitation on use of reporting fees payable to educational institutions and joint apprenticeship training committees 7a7 ,in general ,section #cfhd7;c7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended to read as follows3 7c7 7#a7 ,the ,secretary may pay to any educational institution1 or to the sponsor of a program of apprenticeship1 furnishing education or training under either this chapter or chapter #ca1 #cd1 or #ce of this title1 a reporting fee which will be in lieu of any other compensation or reimbursement for reports or certifications which such educational institution or joint apprenticeship training committee is required to submit to the ,secretary by law or regulation4 7#b7 ,such reporting fee shall be computed for each calendar year by multiplying #af by the number of eligible veterans or eligible persons enrolled under this chapter or chapter #ca1 #cd1 or #ce of this title4 ,the reporting fee shall be paid to such educational institution or sponsor of a program of apprenticeship as soon as feasible after the end of the calendar year for which it is applicable4 7#c7 ,no reporting fee payable to an educational institution under this subsection shall be subject to offset by the ,secretary against any liability of such institution for any overpayment for which such institution may be administratively determined to be liable under section #cfhe of this title unless such liability is not contested by such institution or has been upheld by a final decree of a court of appropriate jurisdiction4 7#d7 ,any reporting fee paid to an educational institution or joint apprenticeship training committee after the date of the enactment of the ,post-#i_/aa ,veterans ,educational ,assistance ,improvements ,act of #bjaa 7,public ,law #aaa-cgg7-- 7,a7 shall be utilized by such institution or committee solely for the making of certifications required under this chapter or chapter #ca1 #cd1 or #ce of this title or for otherwise supporting programs for veterans2 and 7,b7 with respect to an institution that has #ge or more enrollees described in paragraph 7#b71 may not be used for or merged with amounts available for the general fund of the educational institution or sponsor of a program of apprenticeship4 7#e7 ,the reporting fee payable under this subsection shall be paid from amounts appropriated for readjustment benefits4 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made by subsection 7a7 shall take effect on ,august #a1 #bjah4 7c7 ,conforming amendment ,section #dab7;b7 of the ,jeff ,miller and ,richard ,blumenthal ,veterans ,health ,care and ,benefits ,improvement ,act of #bjaf 7,public ,law #aad-cae2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #cfhd note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter before paragraph 7#a71 by striking on ,september #be1 #bjbf and inserting on ,july #ca1 #bjah2 and 7#b7 in the subsection heading1 by striking through ,september #be1 #bjaf and inserting through ,july #ca1 #bjah4 #e4 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs provision of on-campus educational and vocational counseling for veterans 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after section #cfig;,a the following new section3 #cfig;,b4 ,on-campus educational and vocational counseling 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall provide educational and vocational counseling services for veterans at locations on the campuses of institutions of higher learning selected by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,such counseling services shall be provided by employees of the ,department who provide such services under section #cfig;,a of this title4 7#c7 ,such services shall include1 when determined appropriate by such employees1 personalized learning plans for each veteran that map a defined program of study based on the veteran's academic career goals4 7b7 ,selection of locations 7#a7 ,to be selected by the ,secretary under this section1 an institution of higher learning shall provide an appropriate space on the campus of the institution where counseling services can be provided under this section4 7#b7 ,in selecting locations for the provision of counseling services under this section1 the ,secretary shall seek to select locations where the maximum number of veterans would have access to such services4 7c7 ,annual report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section and not less frequently than once each year thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on the counseling services provided under this section4 ,such report shall include1 for the year covered by the report-- 7#a7 the average ratio of counselors providing such services to veterans who received such services at each location where such services were provided2 7#b7 a description of such services provided2 7#c7 the recommendations of the ,secretary for improving the provision of such services2 7#d7 a description of the training that the counselors providing such services received so that such counselors could effectively provide veterans with current labor market information and regional workforce trends2 and 7#e7 such other matters as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cfig;,a the following new item3 #cfig;,b4 ,on-campus educational and vocational counseling4 4 #f4 ,provision of information regarding entitlement of veterans to educational assistance 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,,ii of chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cfii4 ,provision of certain information to educational institutions 7a7 ,in general ,for each veteran or other individual pursuing a course of education that has been approved under this chapter using educational assistance to which the veteran or other individual is entitled under chapter #cj1 #cb1 #cc1 or #ce of this title1 the ,secretary shall make available to the educational institution offering the course information regarding the amount of such educational assistance to which the veteran or other individual is entitled4 7b7 ,manner information is provided ,the ,secretary shall provide information made available under subsection 7a7 to an educational institution through a secure information technology system accessible by the educational institution4 7c7 ,regular updates ,with respect to information made available under subsection 7a7 relating to a veteran or other individual1 the ,secretary shall regularly update such information to reflect any amounts used by the veteran or other individual4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cfih the following new item3 #cfii4 ,provision of certain information to educational institutions4 4 #g4 ,modifications relating to reimbursement of expenses of ,state approving agencies for matters relating to administration of veterans educational assistance 7a7 ,increase ,section #cfgd7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b77;,a71 by striking out of amounts available for the payment of readjustment benefits and inserting out of amounts in the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs readjustment benefits account and amounts appropriated to the ,secretary2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 7,a7 by striking ,the total and inserting3 7,a7 ,the total 2 7,b7 by striking #ai1jjj1jjj and inserting #bc1jjj1jjj2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,b7 ,whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dja et seq47 as a result of a determination made under section #bae7;i7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dae7;i771 the ,secretary shall1 effective on the date of such increase in benefit amounts1 increase the amount in effect under subparagraph 7,a71 as in effect immediately prior to the date of such increase in benefit amounts payable under title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act1 by the same percentage as the percentage by which such benefit amounts are increased4 4 #h4 ,treatment1 for purposes of educational assistance administered by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 of educational courses that begin seven or fewer days after the first day of an academic term ,section #cfhd7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraph 7#d7 as paragraph 7#e72 and 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#c7 the following new paragraph 7#d73 7#d7 ,a course offered by an educational institution that does not begin on the first day of an academic term1 but does begin seven or fewer days after such day1 shall be treated as beginning on such day for purposes of this section4 4 #i4 ,extension of authority for advisory committee on education ,section #cfib7;c7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking ,december #ca1 #bjag and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbb4