,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #diia ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #h1 #bjai,ms4 ,gabbard 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,spano1 and ,mr4 ,lawson of ,florida7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to establish a pilot program under which eligible individuals may elect to receive financial assistance in lieu of educational assistance under the ,post-#i_/aa ,educational ,assistance ,program to establish and operate a qualified business enterprise1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,post-#i_/aa ,veteran ,business ,acceleration ,act4 #b4 ,pilot program to allow eligible individuals to elect to receive financial assistance in lieu of ,post-#i_/aa educational assistance to establish and operate a qualified business enterprise 7a7 ,establishment of pilot program ,subchapter ,,iii of chapter #cc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #ccbh4 ,pilot program to allow election to receive financial assistance to establish and operate a small business 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,not later than ,january #a1 #bjba1 the ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration1 shall establish a pilot program under which an eligible individual may elect to receive financial assistance1 in lieu of educational assistance under this chapter1 for a three-year period-- 7,a7 to establish and operate a new qualified business enterprise2 or 7,b7 to operate an existing qualified business enterprise4 7#b7 ,for purposes of paragraph 7#a71 an eligible individual is an individual who-- 7,a7 is entitled to #cf months of educational assistance under this chapter2 7,b7 is not in bankruptcy proceedings at the time of application2 and 7,c7 has a credit score equal to or greater than the minimum credit score required by the ,administrator to receive a loan under section #g7;a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7;a774 7b7 ,application process ,the ,secretary shall establish an application process to select individuals to participate in the pilot program4 7c7 ,allowable expenses ,an individual may use financial assistance under the pilot program for the following expenses in connection with the establishment or operation of a qualified business enterprise3 7#a7 ,payment of a mortgage or lease with respect to property used regularly and exclusively to operate the qualified business enterprise4 7#b7 ,utilities1 phone1 and computer expenses4 7#c7 ,equipment1 furniture1 and machinery4 7#d7 ,vehicles and travel expenses4 7#e7 ,property maintenance costs4 7#f7 ,insurance4 7#g7 ,wages1 salaries1 payroll taxes1 and benefits4 7#h7 ,supplies and other office expenses4 7#i7 ,professional fees1 including legal and accounting services4 7#aj7 ,advertising and marketing costs4 7#aa7 ,such other expenses as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7d7 ,amount and payment of financial assistance 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall make available to an individual under the pilot program financial assistance in the following amounts3 7,a7 ,in the first year of the pilot program1 an amount equal to the sum of-- 7i7 #bj1jjj2 and 7ii7 the monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing payable under section #djc of title #cg for a member with dependents in pay grade ,e-#e residing in the military housing area that encompasses all or the majority portion of the ,,zip code area in which is located the primary residence of the individual1 multiplied by #ab4 7,b7 ,in the second year of the pilot program1 #bj1jjj4 7,c7 ,in the third year of the pilot program1 #bj1jjj4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary shall make payments under this section as follows3 7,a7 ,in the first year of the pilot program1 and as requested by an individual under the program-- 7i7 for-- 7,i7 the first month1 in a lump sum equal to #fj percent of the total amount under subsection 7d77#a77;,a72 and 7,,ii7 each subsequent month1 in an amount equal to #dj percent of the total amount under such subsection divided by #aa2 or 7ii7 on a monthly basis4 7,b7 ,in the second and third year of the pilot program1 on a monthly basis4 7e7 ,expenditure reporting and tracking system ,the ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,administrator1 shall establish and operate a secure electronic reporting system through which-- 7#a7 an individual participating in the pilot program may report-- 7,a7 expenditures of a qualified business enterprise established or operated under the pilot program2 and 7,b7 such other information as the ,secretary may require2 and 7#b7 the ,secretary may track expenditures and other information reported under paragraph 7#a74 7f7 ,review of expenditures2 improper use of funds ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 at least once every two months1 review the system established under subsection 7e7 to determine whether an individual participating in the pilot program is using financial assistance under the pilot program for allowable expenses described in subsection 7c72 and 7#b7 require an individual who uses financial assistance for a nonallowable expense to remit to the ,secretary an amount equal to the amount used for the nonallowable expense4 7g7 ,combination of benefits ,the ,secretary may allow multiple individuals to use financial assistance under the pilot program to establish or operate a single qualified business enterprise4 7h7 ,training ,the ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,administrator1 shall provide training to individuals participating in the pilot program with respect to the establishment and operation of a business1 including how to avoid becoming a victim of predatory lending4 7i7 ,withdrawal from pilot program 7#a7 ,an individual1 upon notice to the ,secretary1 may withdraw from participation in the pilot program at any time prior to the completion of the three-year period of the program4 7#b7 ,in the event that an individual withdraws from the pilot program under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 determine the remaining educational assistance to which the individual is entitled under this chapter2 and 7,b7 allow the individual to use such remaining educational assistance in accordance with this chapter4 7j7 ,duration ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program for a period of seven years4 7k7 ,qualified business enterprise defined ,in this section1 the term qualified business enterprise means a business enterprise engaged in lawful activities under-- 7#a7 ,federal law2 or 7#b7 the law of the ,state in which the business enterprise is located4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ccja of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 ,the term educational assistance under this chapter does not include financial assistance under section #ccbh4 4 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #cc of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #ccbg the following new item3 #ccbh4 ,pilot program to allow election to receive financial assistance to establish and operate a small business4 4