,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #dgc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #bh1 #bjag
 ,mr4 ,tester 7for himself1 ,mr4        
,franken1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,ms4       
,hassan1 and ,ms4 ,klobuchar7 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 qualification requirements for  
entitlement to ,post-#i_/aa ,education  
,assistance more equitable1 to improve  
support of veterans receiving such      
educational assistance1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,educational        
,development for ,troops and ,veterans  
,act of #bjag4  #b4 ,eligibility of     
reserve component members for           
,post-#i_/aa ,educational ,assistance   
,section #ccja7a77;,b7 of title #ch1    
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
striking or #abcjd and inserting #abcjd1
 #abcjd;a1 or #abcjd;b4  #c4            

,eligibility of reserve component       
members for nonreduction in pay while   
serving in the uniformed services or    
,national ,guard ,section #eech7;a7 of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is     
amended in the matter preceding         
paragraph 7#a7 by inserting after under 
the following3 section #abcja7;d71      
section #abcjd;b1 or4  #d4 ,modification
 of time limitation for training and    
rehabilitation for veterans with        
service-connected disabilities ,section 
#cajc7;f7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended by striking or #abcjd 
and inserting #abcjd1 #abcjd;a1 or      
#abcjd;b4  #e4 ,deferral of students    
loans for certain period in connection  
with receipt of orders for mobilization 
for war or national emergency  7a7      
,federal ,family ,education ,loans      
,section #dbh7;b77#a77,m7 of the ,higher
 ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4
 #ajgh7;b77#a77,m77 is amended--  7#a7  
in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by  
striking 1 during any period2  7#b7 in  

clause 7i71 by striking during which and
 inserting during any period during     
which2  7#c7 in clause 7ii71 by striking
 during which and inserting during any  
period during which2  7#d7 in clause    
7iii7--  7,a7 by striking during which  
and inserting during any period during  
which2 and  7,b7 in the matter following
 subclause 7,,ii71 by striking or after 
the semicolon2  7#e7 by redesignating   
clause 7iv7 as clause 7vi72  7#f7 by    
inserting after clause 7iii7 the        
following3  7iv7 in the case of any     
borrower who has received a call or     
order to duty described in subclause    
7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of clause 7iii71 during  
the shorter of--  7,i7 the period       
beginning on the date such call or order
 to duty is received by the borrower and
 ending on the first day of the service 
described in subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of
 clause 7iii72 and  7,,ii7 the #ahj-;day
 period preceding the first day of such 
service2  7v7 notwithstanding clause    
7iv7--  7,i7 in the case of any borrower

 described in such clause whose call or 
order to duty is cancelled before the   
first day of the service described in   
subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of clause 7iii7
 because of a personal injury in        
connection with training to prepare for 
such service1 during the period         
described in clause 7iv7 and during an  
additional period equal to the duration 
of such service1 as specified by or     
otherwise determined in the original    
call or order to duty2 and  7,,ii7 in   
the case of any borrower whose call or  
order to duty is cancelled before the   
first day of such service for a reason  
other than an injury described in       
subclause 7,i71 during the period       
beginning on the date the call or order 
to duty is received by the borrower and 
ending on the date that is #ad days     
after such call or order to duty is     
cancelled2 and  2 and  7#g7 in clause   
7vi7 7as redesignated by paragraph      
7#e771 by striking not in excess and    
inserting during any period not in      

excess4  7b7 ,direct ,loans ,section    
#dee7;f77#b7 of the ,higher ,education  
,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4            
#ajhg;e7f77#b77 is amended--  7#a7 in   
the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 
by striking during any period2  7#b7 in 
subparagraph 7,a71 by striking during   
which and inserting during any period   
during which2  7#c7 in subparagraph     
7,b71 by striking not in excess and     
inserting during any period not in      
excess2  7#d7 in subparagraph 7,c7--    
7,a7 by striking during which and       
inserting during any period during      
which2 and  7,b7 in the matter following
 clause 7ii71 by striking or after the  
semicolon2  7#e7 by redesignating       
subparagraph 7,d7 as subparagraph 7,f72 
7#f7 by inserting after subparagraph    
7,c7 the following3  7,d7 in the case of
 any borrower who has received a call or
 order to duty described in clause 7i7  
or 7ii7 of subparagraph 7,c71 during the
 shorter of--  7i7 the period beginning 
on the date such call or order to duty  

is received by the borrower and ending  
on the first day of the service         
described in clause 7i7 or 7ii7 of      
subparagraph 7,c72 and  7ii7 the        
#ahj-;day period preceding the first day
 of such service2  7,e7 notwithstanding 
subparagraph 7,d7--  7i7 in the case of 
any borrower described in such          
subparagraph whose call or order to duty
 is cancelled before the first day of   
the service described in clause 7i7 or  
7ii7 of subparagraph 7,c7 because of a  
personal injury in connection with      
training to prepare for such service1   
during the period described in          
subparagraph 7,d7 and during an         
additional period equal to the duration 
of such service1 as specified by or     
otherwise determined in the original    
call or order to duty2 and  7ii7 in the 
case of any borrower whose call or order
 to duty is cancelled before the first  
day of such service for a reason other  
than an injury described in clause 7i71 
during the period beginning on the date 

the call or order to duty is received by
 the borrower and ending on the date    
that is #ad days after such call or     
order to duty is cancelled2 and  2 and  
7#g7 in subparagraph 7,f7 7as           
redesignated by paragraph 7#e771 by     
striking not in excess and inserting    
during any period not in excess4  7c7   
,perkins ,loans ,section                
#dfd7;c77#b77;,a7 of the ,higher        
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajhg;dd7c77#b77;,a77 is amended--  7#a7
 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by 
striking during any period2  7#b7 in    
clause 7i71 by striking during which and
 inserting during any period during     
which2  7#c7 in clause 7ii71 by striking
 not in excess and inserting during any 
period not in excess2  7#d7 in clause   
7iii71 by striking during which and     
inserting during any period during      
which2  7#e7 by redesignating clauses   
7iv7 and 7v7 as clauses 7vi7 and 7vii71 
respectively2  7#f7 by inserting after  
clause 7iii7 the following3  7iv7 in the

 case of any borrower who has received a
 call or order to duty described in     
subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of clause      
7iii71 during the shorter of--  7,i7 the
 period beginning on the date such call 
or order to duty is received by the     
borrower and ending on the first day of 
the service described in subclause 7,i7 
or 7,,ii7 of clause 7iii72 and  7,,ii7  
the #ahj-;day period preceding the first
 day of such service2  7v7              
notwithstanding clause 7iv7-- 7,i7 in   
the case of any borrower described in   
such clause whose call or order to duty 
is cancelled before the first day of the
 service described in subclause 7,i7 or 
7,,ii7 of clause 7iii7 because of a     
personal injury in connection with      
training to prepare for such service1   
during the period described in clause   
7iv7 and during an additional period    
equal to the duration of such service1  
as specified by or otherwise determined 
in the original call or order to duty2  
and  7,,ii7 in the case of any borrower 

whose call or order to duty is cancelled
 before the first day of such service   
for a reason other than an injury       
described in subclause 7,i71 during the 
period beginning on the date the call or
 order to duty is received by the       
borrower and ending on the date that is 
#ad days after such call or order to    
duty is cancelled2  2  7#g7 in clause   
7vi7 7as redesignated by paragraph      
7#e771 by striking not in excess and    
inserting during any period not in      
excess2 and  7#h7 in clause 7vii7 7as   
redesignated by paragraph 7#e771 by     
striking during which and inserting     
during any period during which4  7d7    
,rule of construction ,nothing in the   
amendments made by this section shall be
 construed to authorize any refunding of
 any repayment of a loan4  7e7          
,applicability ,the amendments made by  
this section shall apply with respect to
 all loans made1 insured1 or guaranteed 
under title ,,iv of the ,higher         
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 

#ajgj et seq474  7f7 ,conforming        
amendments ,title ,,iv of the ,higher   
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajgj et seq47 is further amended--     
7#a7 in section #dbh;,b7d77#a77;,a77ii7 
7#bj ,u4,s4,c4                          
#ajgh-b7;d77#a77;,a77ii771 by striking  
#dbh7;b77#a77,m77i77,i7 and inserting or
 clause 7i77,i71 7iv71 or 7v7 of section
 #dbh7;b77#a77,m72 and  7#b7 in section 
#dic;,d7a7 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajih;f7a771  
by striking section                     
#dbh7;b77#a77,m77iii71                  
#dee7;f77#b77;,c71 or                   
#dfd7;c77#b77;,a77iii7 and inserting    
clause 7iii7 or 7iv7 of section         
#dbh7;b77#a77,m71 subparagraph 7,c7 or  
7,d7 of section #dee7;f77#b71 or clause 
7iii7 or 7iv7 of section                
#dfd7;c77#b77;,a74  #f4 ,grant program  
to establish1 maintain1 and improve     
veteran student centers  7a7 ,in general
 ,part ,t of title ,,viii of the ,higher
 ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4
 #aafat7 is amended to read as follows3 

,t ,grants for ,veteran ,student        
,centers  #hgc4 ,grants for ,veteran    
,student ,centers  7a7 ,grants          
authorized ,subject to the availability 
of appropriations under subsection 7i71 
the ,secretary shall award grants to    
institutions of higher education or     
consortia of institutions of higher     
education to assist in the              
establishment1 maintenance1 improvement1
 and operation of ,veteran ,student     
,centers4 ,the ,secretary shall award   
not more than #cj grants under this     
subsection4  7b7 ,eligibility  7#a7     
,application ,an institution or         
consortium seeking a grant under        
subsection 7a7 shall submit to the      
,secretary an application at such time1 
in such manner1 and containing such     
information as the ,secretary may       
require4  7#b7 ,criteria ,the ,secretary
 may award a grant under subsection 7a7 
to an institution or a consortium if the
 institution or consortium meets each of
 the following criteria3  7,a7 ,the     

institution or consortium enrolls in    
undergraduate or graduate courses-- 7i7 
a significant number of veteran         
students1 members of the ,armed ,forces 
serving on active duty1 and members of a
 reserve component of the ,armed        
,forces2 or  7ii7 a significant         
percentage of veteran students1 as      
measured by comparing the overall       
enrollment of the institution or        
consortium to the number1 for the most  
recent academic year for which data are 
available1 of veteran students1 members 
of the ,armed ,forces serving on active 
duty1 and members of a reserve component
 of the ,armed ,forces who are enrolled 
in undergraduate or graduate courses at 
the institution or consortium4  7,b7    
,the institution or consortium presents 
a sustainability plan to demonstrate    
that its ,veteran ,student ,center will 
be maintained and will continue to      
operate after the grant period of the   
grant received under subsection 7a7 has 
ended4  7#c7 ,additional criteria ,in   

awarding grants under subsection 7a71   
the ,secretary-- 7,a7 shall consider    
institutions or consortia representing a
 broad spectrum of sectors and sizes1   
including institutions or consortia from
 urban1 suburban1 and rural regions of  
the ,united ,states2 and  7,b7 may      
provide consideration to institutions or
 consortia that meet #a or more of the  
following criteria3  7i7 ,the           
institution or consortium is located in 
a region or community that has a        
significant population of veterans4     
7ii7 ,the institution or consortium     
carries out programs or activities that 
assist veterans in the local community  
and the spouses of veteran students4    
7iii7 ,the institution or consortium    
partners in its veteran-specific        
programming with nonprofit veteran      
service organizations1 local workforce  
development organizations1 or           
institutions of higher education4  7iv7 
,the institution or consortium commits  
to hiring a staff at the ,veteran       

,student ,center that includes veterans 
7including veteran student volunteers   
and veteran students participating in a 
,federal work-study program under part  
,c of title ,,iv1 a work-study program  
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veteran ,affairs1 or a ,state          
work-study program74  7v7 ,the          
institution or consortium is willing to 
consider providing veteran students with
 academic credit for comparable         
subject-area training received while    
serving in the ,armed ,forces and       
commits to dedicating resources to      
helping its student veterans navigate   
their way through the transfer credit   
process4  7vi7 ,the institution or      
consortium commits to using a portion of
 the grant received under this section  
to develop an early warning veteran     
student retention program carried out by
 the ,veteran ,student ,center4  7vii7  
,the institution or consortium commits  
to providing mental health counseling to
 its veteran students and their spouses4

  7c7 ,use of funds  7#a7 ,in general   
,an institution or consortium that is   
awarded a grant under subsection 7a7    
shall use such grant to establish1      
maintain1 improve1 or operate a ,veteran
 ,student ,center4  7#b7 ,other         
allowable uses ,an institution or       
consortium receiving a grant under      
subsection 7a7 may use a portion of such
 funds to carry out supportive          
instruction services for student        
veterans1 including--  7,a7 assistance  
with special admissions and transfer of 
credit from previous postsecondary      
education or experience2 and  7,b7 any  
other support services the institution  
or consortium determines to be necessary
 to ensure the success of veterans on   
campus in achieving education and career
 goals4  7d7 ,amounts awarded  7#a7     
,duration ,each grant awarded under     
subsection 7a7 shall be for a #d-year   
period4  7#b7 ,total amount of grant and
 schedule ,each grant awarded under     
subsection 7a7 may not exceed a total of

 #ejj1jjj4 ,the ,secretary shall        
disburse to an institution or consortium
 the amounts awarded under the grant in 
such amounts and at such times during   
the grant period as the ,secretary      
determines appropriate4  7e7 ,report    
,from the amounts appropriated to carry 
out this section1 and not later than #c 
years after the date on which the first 
grant is awarded under subsection 7a71  
the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress
 a report on the grant program          
established under subsection 7a71       
including--  7#a7 the number of grants  
awarded2  7#b7 the institutions of      
higher education and consortia that have
 received grants2  7#c7 with respect to 
each such institution of higher         
education and consortium-- 7,a7 the     
amounts awarded2  7,b7 how such         
institution or consortium used such     
amounts2  7,c7 a description of the     
students to whom services were offered  
as a result of the award2 and  7,d7 data
 enumerating whether the use of the     

amounts awarded helped veteran students 
at the institution or consortium toward 
completion of a degree1 certificate1 or 
credential2  7#d7 best practices for    
veteran student success1 identified by  
reviewing data provided by institutions 
and consortia that received a grant     
under this section2 and  7#e7 a         
determination by the ,secretary with    
respect to whether the grant program    
under this section should be extended or
 expanded4  7f7 ,termination ,the       
authority of the ,secretary to carry out
 the grant program established under    
subsection 7a7 shall terminate on the   
date that is #d years after the date on 
which the first grant is awarded under  
subsection 7a74  7g7 ,department of     
education best practices website        
,subject to the availability of         
appropriations under subsection 7i7 and 
not later than #c years after the date  
on which the first grant is awarded     
under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary    
shall develop and implement a website   

for veteran student services at         
institutions of higher education1 which 
details best practices for serving      
veteran students at institutions of     
higher education4  7h7 ,definitions ,in 
this section3 7#a7 ,institution of      
higher education ,the term institution  
of higher education has the meaning     
given the term in section #aja4  7#b7   
,veteran ,student ,center ,the term     
,veteran ,student ,center means a       
dedicated space on a campus of an       
institution of higher education that    
provides students who are veterans or   
members of the ,armed ,forces with the  
following3  7,a7 ,a lounge or meeting   
space for such veteran students1 their  
spouses or partners1 and veterans in the
 community4  7,b7 ,a centralized office 
for veteran services that-- 7i7 is a    
single point of contact to coordinate   
comprehensive support services for      
veteran students2  7ii7 is staffed by   
trained employees and volunteers1 which 
includes veterans and at least #a       

full-time employee or volunteer who is  
trained as a veterans' benefits         
counselor2  7iii7 provides veteran      
students with assistance relating to--  
7,i7 transitioning from the military to 
student life2  7,,ii7 transitioning from
 the military to the civilian workforce2
  7,,iii7 networking with other veteran 
students and veterans in the community2 
7,,iv7 understanding and obtaining      
benefits provided by the institution of 
higher education1 ,federal ,government1 
and ,state for which such students may  
be eligible2  7,v7 understanding how to 
succeed in the institution of higher    
education1 including by understanding   
academic policies1 the course selection 
process1 and institutional policies and 
practices related to the transfer of    
academic credits2 and  7,,vi7           
understanding their disability-related  
rights and protections under the        
,americans with ,disabilities ,act of   
#aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq47 and
 section #ejd of the ,rehabilitation    

,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gid72 and 
7iv7 provides comprehensive academic and
 tutoring services for veteran students1
 including peer-to-peer tutoring and    
academic mentorship4  7i7 ,authorization
 of appropriations ,there are authorized
 to be appropriated to carry out this   
part such sums as may be necessary for  
fiscal year #bjag and each of the #c    
succeeding fiscal years4  4  7b7        
,continuation of awards ,an institution 
of higher education that received a     
grant under section #hgc of the ,higher 
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#aafat7 before the date of enactment of 
this ,act1 as such section #hgc 7#bj    
,u4,s4,c4 #aafat7 was in effect on the  
day before the date of enactment of this
 ,act1 shall continue to receive funds  
in accordance with the terms and        
conditions of such grant4  #g4          
,modification of basis for annual       
adjustments in amounts of educational   
assistance for members of the ,selected 
,reserve  7a7 ,in general ,section      

#afaca7;b77#b7 of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended by striking   
equal to and all that follows and       
inserting the following3 8not less than 
the percentage by which--  7,a7 the     
average cost of undergraduate tuition in
 the ,united ,states1 as determined by  
the ,national ,center for ,education    
,statistics1 for the last academic year 
preceding the beginning of the fiscal   
year for which the increase is made1    
exceeds  7,b7 the average cost of       
undergraduate tuition in the ,united    
,states1 as so determined1 for the      
academic year preceding the academic    
year described in subparagraph 7,a74  4 
7b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made 
by subsection 7a7 shall take effect on  
,october #a1 #bjag1 and shall apply to  
adjustments in amounts of educational   
assistance for members of the ,selected 
,reserve that are made for fiscal years 
beginning on or after that date4  #h4   
,monthly stipend for certain members of 
the reserve components of the ,armed    

,forces  7a7 ,in general ,section #ccac 
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by adding at the end the        
following new subsection3  7j7          
,determination of monthly stipends      
during certain active duty service  7#a7
 ,pro rata basis ,in any month in which 
an individual described in paragraph    
7#b7 is performing active duty service  
described in section #ccja7a77;,b7 of   
this title1 the ,secretary shall        
determine the amount of monthly stipends
 payable under this section for such    
month on a pro rata basis for the period
 of such month in which the covered     
individual is not performing such active
 duty service4  7#b7 ,individual        
described ,an individual described in   
this paragraph is an individual who is--
 7,a7 a member of the reserve components
 of the ,armed ,forces2 and  7,b7       
pursuing a program of education using   
educational assistance under this       
chapter4  4  7b7 ,application ,the      
amendment made by subsection 7a7 shall  

apply with respect to a quarter1        
semester1 or term1 as applicable1       
commencing on or after ,august #a1      
#bjaf4