,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #hdhc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,october #a1         
#bjbj,mr4 ,cunningham 7for himself1 ,mr4
 ,bilirakis1 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mr4 ,levin  
of ,california1 ,mr4 ,pappas1 ,mr4 ,rose
 of ,new ,york1 and ,ms4 ,brownley of   
,california7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs1 and  
in addition to the ,committees on ,armed
 ,services1 and the ,budget1 for a      
period to be subsequently determined by 
the ,speaker1 in each case for          
consideration of such provisions as fall
 within the jurisdiction of the         
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to make certain modifications to the    
educational assistance programs of the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs in    
light of the ,,covid-#ai emergency1 and 
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,pandemic
 ,assistance for ,student ,veterans ,act

 of #bjbj4  #b4 ,definitions ,in this   
,act3 7#a7 ,the term covered program of 
education means a program of education  
7as defined in section #cjjb of title   
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code7 approved by 
a ,state approving agency1 or the       
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs when   
acting in the role of a ,state approving
 agency4  7#b7 ,the term ,,covid-#ai    
emergency means the public health       
emergency declared pursuant to section  
#cai of the ,public ,health ,service    
,act on ,january #ca1 #bjbj1 entitled   
,determination that a ,public ,health   
,emergency ,exists ,nationwide as the   
,result of the #bjai ,novel             
,coronavirus4  7#c7 ,the term           
educational institution has the meaning 
given that term in section #cdeb7;c7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 and   
includes an institution of higher       
learning 7as defined in such section74  
7#d7 ,the term ,state approving agency  
has the meaning given that term in      
section #cfga of title #ch1 ,united     

,states ,code4  7#e7 ,the term training 
establishment has the meaning given that
 term in section #cdeb7;e7 of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code4  7#f7 ,the term 
training includes on-job training and   
apprenticeship programs and vocational  
rehabilitation programs4  #c4           
,continuation of ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs educational          
assistance benefits during ,,covid-#ai  
emergency  7a7 ,authority ,if the       
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
determines under subsection 7c7 that an 
individual is negatively affected by the
 ,,covid-#ai emergency1 the ,secretary  
may provide educational assistance to   
that individual under the laws          
administered by the ,secretary as if    
such negative effects did not occur4    
,the authority under this section is in 
addition to the authority provided under
 section #a of ,public ,law #aaf-abh    
7#ch ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja note prec471 but in
 no case may the ,secretary provide more
 than a total of four weeks of          

additional educational assistance by    
reason of section #d of the ,student    
,veteran ,coronavirus ,response ,act of 
#bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-adj2 #ch       
,u4,s4,c4 #cfhj note7 and this section4 
7b7 ,housing and allowances ,in         
providing educational assistance to an  
individual pursuant to subsection 7a71  
the ,secretary may-- 7#a7 continue to   
pay a monthly housing stipend under     
chapter #cc of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 during a month the       
individual would have been enrolled in a
 program of education or training but   
for the ,,covid-#ai emergency at the    
same rate such stipend would have been  
payable if the individual had not been  
negatively affected by the ,,covid-#ai  
emergency1 except that the total number 
of weeks for which stipends may continue
 to be so payable may not exceed four   
weeks2 and  7#b7 continue to pay        
payments or subsistence allowances under
 chapters #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 and #ce of
 such title and chapter #afjf of title  

#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 during a    
month for a period of time that the     
individual would have been enrolled in a
 program of education or training but   
for the ,,covid-#ai emergency1 except   
that the total number of weeks for which
 payments or allowances may continue to 
be so payable may not exceed four weeks4
  7c7 ,determination of negative effects
 ,the ,secretary shall determine that an
 individual was negatively affected by  
the ,,covid-#ai emergency if-- 7#a7 the 
individual is enrolled in a covered     
program of education of an educational  
institution or enrolled in training at a
 training establishment and is pursuing 
such program or training using          
educational assistance under the laws   
administered by the ,secretary2  7#b7   
the educational institution or training 
establishment certifies to the          
,secretary that such program or training
 is truncated1 delayed1 relocated1      
canceled1 partially canceled1 converted 
from being on-site to being offered by  

distance learning1 or otherwise modified
 or made unavailable by reason of the   
,,covid-#ai emergency2 and  7#c7 the    
,secretary determines that the          
modification to such program or training
 specified under paragraph 7#b7 would   
reduce the amount of educational        
assistance 7including with respect to   
monthly housing stipends1 payments1 or  
subsistence allowances7 that would be   
payable to the individual but for the   
,,covid-#ai emergency4  7d7 ,effect on  
entitlement period ,if the ,secretary   
determines that an individual who       
received assistance under this section  
did not make progress toward the        
completion of the program of education  
in which the individual is enrolled     
during the period for which the         
individual received such assistance1 any
 assistance provided pursuant to this   
section shall not be counted for        
purposes of determining the total amount
 of an individual's entitlement to      
educational assistance1 housing         

stipends1 or payments or subsistence    
allowances under chapters #cj1 #ca1 #cb1
 and #ce of such title and chapter #afjf
 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4   
7e7 ,applicability period ,this section 
shall apply during the period beginning 
on ,march #a1 #bjbj1 and ending on      
,december #ba1 #bjba4  #d4 ,effects of  
closure of educational institution and  
modification of courses by reason of    
,,covid-#ai emergency  7a7 ,closure or  
disapproval ,any payment of educational 
assistance described in subsection 7b7  
shall not-- 7#a7 be charged against any 
entitlement to educational assistance of
 the individual concerned2 or  7#b7 be  
counted against the aggregate period for
 which section #cfie of title #ch1      
,united ,states ,code1 limits the       
receipt of educational assistance by    
such individual4  7b7 ,educational      
assistance described ,subject to        
subsection 7d71 the payment of          
educational assistance described in this
 subsection is the payment of such      

assistance to an individual for pursuit 
of a course or program of education at  
an educational institution under chapter
 #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 or #ce of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 or chapter  
#afjf of title #aj1 ,united ,states     
,code1 if the ,secretary determines that
 the individual-- 7#a7 was unable to    
complete such course or program as a    
result of-- 7,a7 the closure of the     
educational institution1 or the full or 
partial cancellation of a course or     
program of education1 by reason of the  
,,covid-#ai emergency2 or  7,b7 the     
disapproval of the course or a course   
that is a necessary part of that program
 under chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 because the course was  
modified by reason of such emergency2   
and  7#b7 did not receive credit or lost
 training time1 toward completion of the
 program of education being so pursued4 
7c7 ,housing assistance ,in this        
section1 educational assistance         
includes1 as applicable-- 7#a7 monthly  

housing stipends payable under chapter  
#cc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1
 for any month the individual would have
 been enrolled in a course or program of
 education2 and  7#b7 payments or       
subsistence allowances under chapters   
#cj1 #ca1 #cb1 and #ce of such title and
 chapter #afjf of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code1 during a month the       
individual would have been enrolled in a
 course or program of education4  7d7   
,period not charged ,the period for     
which1 by reason of this subsection1    
educational assistance is not charged   
against entitlement or counted toward   
the applicable aggregate period under   
section #cfie of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 shall not exceed the     
aggregate of-- 7#a7 the portion of the  
period of enrollment in the course from 
which the individual did not receive    
credit or with respect to which the     
individual lost training time1 as       
determined under subsection 7b77#b72 and
  7#b7 the period by which a monthly    

stipend is extended under section       
#cfhj7;a77#b77;,b7 of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code4  7e7 ,continuing pursuit
 of disapproved courses  7#a7 ,in       
general ,the ,secretary may treat a     
course of education that is disapproved 
under chapter #cf of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 as being approved under  
such chapter with respect to an         
individual described in paragraph 7#b7  
if the ,secretary determines1 on a      
programmatic basis1 that-- 7,a7 such    
disapproval is the result of an action  
described in subsection 7b77#a77;,b72   
and  7,b7 continuing pursuing such      
course is in the best interest of the   
individual4  7#b7 ,individual described 
,an individual described in this        
paragraph is an individual who is       
pursuing a course of education at an    
educational institution under chapter   
#cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 or #ce of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code1 or chapter #afjf
 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 as
 of the date on which the course is     

disapproved as described in subsection  
7b77#a77;,b74  7f7 ,status as full-,time
 student for purposes of housing stipend
 calculation ,in the case of an         
individual who1 as of the first day of  
the ,,covid-#ai emergency was enrolled  
on a full-time basis in a program of    
education and was receiving educational 
assistance under chapter #cc of title   
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 or          
subsistence allowance under chapter #ca 
of such title1 and for whom the         
,secretary makes a determination under  
subsection 7b71 the individual shall be 
treated as an individual enrolled in a  
program of education on a full-time     
basis for the purpose of calculating    
monthly housing stipends payable under  
chapter #cc of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 or subsistence allowance 
payable under chapter #ca of such title1
 for any month the individual is        
enrolled in the program of education on 
a part-time basis to complete any course
 of education that was partially or     

fully canceled by reason of the         
,,covid-#ai emergency4  7g7 ,notice of  
closures ,not later than #e business    
days after the date on which the        
,secretary receives notice that an      
educational institution will close or is
 closed by reason of the ,,covid-#ai    
emergency1 the ,secretary shall provide 
to each individual who is enrolled in a 
course or program of education at such  
educational institution using           
entitlement to educational assistance   
under chapter #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 or #ce
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 or
 chapter #afjf of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code1 notice of-- 7#a7 such    
closure and the date of such closure2   
and  7#b7 the effect of such closure on 
the individual's entitlement to         
educational assistance pursuant to this 
section4  7h7 ,applicability ,this      
section shall apply with respect to the 
closure of an educational institution1  
or the cancellation or modification of a
 course or program of education1 that   

occurs during the period beginning on   
,march #a1 #bjbj1 and ending on         
,december #ba1 #bjba4  #e4 ,payment of  
educational assistance in cases of      
withdrawal  7a7 ,in general ,in the case
 of any individual who withdraws from a 
program of education or training1 other 
than a program by correspondence1 in an 
educational institution under chapter   
#ca1 #cd1 or #ce of title #ch1 ,united  
,states ,code1 for a covered reason     
during the period beginning on ,march   
#a1 #bjbj1 and ending on ,december #ba1 
#bjba1 the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs shall find mitigating          
circumstances for purposes of section   
#cfhj7;a77#a77;,c77ii7 of title #ch1    
,united ,states ,code4  7b7 ,covered    
reason ,in this section1 the term       
covered reason means any reason related 
to the ,,covid-#ai emergency1           
including-- 7#a7 illness1 quarantine1 or
 social distancing requirements2  7#b7  
issues associated with ,,covid-#ai      
testing accessibility2  7#c7 access or  

availability of childcare2  7#d7        
providing care for a family member or   
cohabitants2  7#e7 change of location or
 residence due to ,,covid-#ai or        
associated school closures2  7#f7       
employment changes or financial         
hardship2 and  7#g7 issues associated   
with changes in format or medium of     
instruction4  #f4 ,modification of time 
limitations on use of entitlement  7a7  
,montgomery ,,gi bill ,the subsection   
7i7 temporarily added to section #cjca  
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 by 
subsection 7a7 of section #f of the     
,student ,veteran ,coronavirus ,response
 ,act of #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-adj7  
is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by 
striking the period the individual is so
 prevented from pursuing such program   
and inserting the period beginning on   
,march #a1 #bjbj1 and ending on         
,december #ba1 #bjba2 and  7#b7 in      
paragraph 7#b71 by striking the first   
day after the individual is able to     
resume pursuit of a program of education

 with educational assistance under this 
chapter and inserting ,december #bb1    
#bjba4  7b7 ,vocational rehabilitation  
and training ,the subsection 7g7        
temporarily added to section #cajc of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 by    
subsection 7c7 of such section #f is    
amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by    
striking the period the individual is so
 prevented from participating such      
program and inserting the period        
beginning on ,march #a1 #bjbj1 and      
ending on ,december #ba1 #bjba2 and     
7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking the 
first day after the individual is able  
to resume participation in such program 
and inserting ,december #bb1 #bjba4  #g4
 ,apprenticeship or on-job training     
requirements  7a7 ,in general ,during   
the period described in subsection 7b71 
subsection 7e7 of section #cfhg of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall be   
applied by substituting the following   
for paragraph 7#b73  7#b7 7,a7 ,subject 
to subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71 for any 

month in which an individual fails to   
complete #abj hours of training1 the    
entitlement otherwise chargeable under  
paragraph 7#a7 shall be reduced in the  
same proportion as the monthly training 
assistance allowance payable is reduced 
under subsection 7b77#c74  7,b7 ,in the 
case of an individual who is unemployed 
during any month1 the #abj-;hour        
requirement under subparagraph 7,a7 for 
that month shall be reduced             
proportionately to reflect the          
individual's period of unemployment1    
except that the amount of monthly       
training assistance otherwise payable to
 the individual under subsection 7b77#c7
 shall not be reduced4  7,c7 ,any period
 during which an individual is          
unemployed shall not-- 7i7 be charged   
against any entitlement to educational  
assistance of the individual2 or  7ii7  
be counted against the aggregate period 
for which section #cfie of this title   
limits the receipt of educational       
assistance by such individual4  7,d7    

,any amount by which the entitlement of 
an individual is reduced under          
subparagraph 7,a7 shall not-- 7i7 be    
charged against any entitlement to      
educational assistance of the           
individual2 or  7ii7 be counted against 
the aggregate period for which section  
#cfie of this title limits the receipt  
of educational assistance by such       
individual4  7,e7 ,in the case of an    
individual who fails to complete #abj   
hours of training during a month1 but   
who completed more than #abj hours of   
training during the preceding month1 the
 individual may apply the number of     
hours in excess of #abj that the        
individual completed for that month to  
the month for which the individual      
failed to complete #abj hours4 ,if the  
addition of such excess hours results in
 a total of #abj hours or more1 the     
individual shall be treated as an       
individual who has completed #abj hours 
of training for that month4 ,any excess 
hours applied to a different month under

 this subparagraph may only be applied  
to one such month4  7,f7 ,this paragraph
 applies to amounts described in section
 #ccac7;g77#c77;,b77iv7 and section     
#cjcb7;c77#b7 of this title and section 
#afaca7;d77#b7 of title #aj4  7,g7 ,in  
this paragraph3 7i7 ,the term unemployed
 includes being furloughed or being     
scheduled to work zero hours4  7ii7 ,the
 term fails to complete #abj hours of   
training means1 with respect to an      
individual1 that during any month1 the  
individual completes at least one hour1 
but fewer than #abj hours1 of training1 
including in a case in which the        
individual is unemployed for part of1   
but not the whole1 month4  4  7b7       
,applicability period ,the period       
described in this section is the period 
beginning on ,march #a1 #bjbj1 and      
ending on ,december #ba1 #bjba4  #h4    
,inclusion of training establishments in
 certain provisions related to          
,,covid-#ai emergency  7a7 ,continuation
 of benefits ,section #a of ,public ,law

 #aaf-abh is amended-- 7#a7 in          
subsection 7a71 by inserting or a       
training establishment after an         
educational institution2 and  7#b7 in   
subsection 7c71 by adding at the end the
 following new paragraph3  7#d7         
,training establishment ,the term       
training establishment has the meaning  
given such term in section #cdeb7;e7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  4    
7b7 ,payment of allowances ,section     
#d7;a77#a7 of the ,student ,veteran     
,coronavirus ,response ,act of #bjbj    
7,public ,law #aaf-adj2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4   
#cfhj note7 is amended by inserting or a
 training establishment after           
educational institution4  7c7           
,prohibition of charge to entitlement   
,the subparagraph 7,c7 temporarily added
 to section #cfii7;b77#a7 of title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code1 by section #e of 
the ,student ,veteran ,coronavirus      
,response ,act of #bjbj 7,public ,law   
#aaf-adj2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #cfii note7 is  
amended by inserting or training        

establishment after educational         
institution4  7d7 ,extension of time    
limitations  7#a7 ,,mgib ,the subsection
 7i7 temporarily added to section #cjca 
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 by 
subsection 7a7 of section #f of the     
,student ,veteran ,coronavirus ,response
 ,act of #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-adj71 
as amended by section #f of this ,act1  
is further amended by inserting or      
training establishment after educational
 institution4  7#b7 ,transfer period    
,the subparagraph 7,c7 temporarily added
 to section #ccai7;h77#e7 of such title 
by section #f of the ,student ,veteran  
,coronavirus ,response ,act of #bjbj    
7,public ,law #aaf-adj7 is amended by   
inserting or training establishment     
after educational institution4  #i4     
,treatment of payment of allowances     
under ,student ,veteran ,coronavirus    
,response ,act ,section #d of the       
,student ,veteran ,coronavirus ,response
 ,act of #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-adj7  
is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b7--   

7,a7 by striking may not exceed four    
weeks4 and inserting may not exceed the 
shorter of the following32 and  7,b7 by 
adding at the end the following new     
paragraphs3  7#a7 ,the period of time   
that the eligible veteran or eligible   
person would have been enrolled in a    
program of education or training but for
 the emergency situation4  7#b7 ,four   
weeks4  2 and  7#b7 by adding at the end
 the following new subsection3  7e7     
,entitlement not charged ,any payment of
 allowances under this section shall    
not-- 7#a7 be charged against any       
entitlement to educational assistance of
 the eligible veteran or eligible person
 concerned2 or  7#b7 be counted against 
the aggregate period for which section  
#cfie of this title #ch1 ,united ,states
 ,code1 limits the receipt of           
educational assistance by such eligible 
veteran or eligible person4  4  #aj4    
,emergency designations  7a7 ,in general
 ,this ,act is designated as an         
emergency requirement pursuant to       

section #d7;g7 of the ,statutory        
,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj 7#b     
,u4,s4,c4 #icc7;g774  7b7 ,designation  
in ,senate ,in the ,senate1 this ,act is
 designated as an emergency requirement 
pursuant to section #daab7;a7 of ,h4    
,con4 ,res4 #ga 7#aaeth ,congress71 the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for 
fiscal year #bjah4