,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ahgg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #h1      
#bjbc,mr4 ,braun 7for himself1 ,mr4     
,rubio1 and ,mr4 ,tillis7 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 require the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs to carry out a program under   
which the ,secretary provides certain   
individuals with the opportunity to     
enroll in high technology programs of   
education that the ,secretary determines
 provide training or skills sought by   
employers in a relevant field or        
industry1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,continue ,,vet ,,tec ,authorization
 ,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs high technology      
program  7a7 ,high technology program   
7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #cf of title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  

by adding at the end the following new  
section3  #cfii;,c4 ,high technology    
program  7a7 ,establishment  7#a7 ,the  
,secretary shall carry out a program    
under which the ,secretary provides     
covered individuals with the opportunity
 to enroll in high technology programs  
of education that the ,secretary        
determines provide training or skills   
sought by employers in a relevant field 
or industry4  7#b7 ,not more than #f1jjj
 covered individuals may participate in 
the program under this section in any   
fiscal year4  7b7 ,amount of assistance 
7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall provide1 to  
each covered individual who pursues a   
high technology program of education    
under this section1 educational         
assistance in amounts equal to the      
amounts provided under section          
#ccac7;c77#a7 of this title1 including  
with respect to the housing stipend     
described in that section and in        
accordance with the treatment of        
programs that are distance learning and 

programs that are less than half-time4  
7#b7 ,under paragraph 7#a71 the         
,secretary shall provide such amounts of
 educational assistance to a covered    
individual for each of the following3   
7,a7 ,a high technology program of      
education4  7,b7 ,a second such program 
if-- 7i7 the second such program begins 
at least #ah months after the covered   
individual graduates from the first such
 program2 and  7ii7 the covered         
individual uses educational assistance  
under chapter #cc of this title to      
pursue the second such program4  7c7    
,contracts  7#a7 ,for purposes of       
carrying out subsection 7a71 the        
,secretary shall seek to enter into     
contracts with any number of qualified  
providers of high technology programs of
 education for the provision of such    
programs to covered individuals4 ,each  
such contract shall provide for the     
conditions under which the ,secretary   
may terminate the contract with the     
provider and the procedures for         

providing for the graduation of students
 who were enrolled in a program provided
 by such provider in the case of such a 
termination4  7#b7 ,a contract under    
this subsection shall provide that the  
,secretary shall pay to a provider--    
7,a7 upon the enrollment of a covered   
individual in the program1 #be percent  
of the cost of the tuition and other    
fees for the program of education for   
the individual2  7,b7 upon graduation of
 the individual from the program1 #be   
percent of such cost2 and  7,c7 #ej     
percent of such cost upon-- 7i7 the     
successful employment of the covered    
individual for a period-- 7,i7 of #ahj  
days in the field of study of the       
program2 and  7,,ii7 that begins not    
later than #ahj days following          
graduation of the covered individual    
from the program2  7ii7 the employment  
of the individual by the provider for a 
period of one year2 or  7iii7 the       
enrollment of the individual in a       
program of education to continue        

education in such field of study4  7#c7 
,for purposes of this section1 a        
provider of a high technology program of
 education is qualified if-- 7,a7 the   
provider employs instructors whom the   
,secretary determines are experts in    
their respective fields in accordance   
with paragraph 7#e72  7,b7 the provider 
has successfully provided the high      
technology program for at least one     
year2  7,c7 the provider does not charge
 tuition and fees to a covered          
individual who receives assistance under
 this section to pursue such program    
that are higher than the tuition and    
fees charged by such provider to another
 individual2 and  7,d7 the provider     
meets the approval criteria developed by
 the ,secretary under paragraph 7#d74   
7#d7 7,a7 ,the ,secretary shall         
prescribe criteria for approving        
providers of a high technology program  
of education under this section4  7,b7  
,in developing such criteria1 the       
,secretary may consult with ,state      

approving agencies4  7,c7 ,such criteria
 are not required to meet the           
requirements of section #cfgb of this   
title4  7,d7 ,such criteria shall       
include the job placement rate1 in the  
field of study of a program of          
education1 of covered individuals who   
complete such program of education4     
7#e7 ,the ,secretary shall determine    
whether instructors are experts under   
paragraph 7#c77;,a7 based on evidence   
furnished to the ,secretary by the      
provider regarding the ability of the   
instructors to-- 7,a7 identify          
professions in need of new employees to 
hire1 tailor the programs to meet market
 needs1 and identify the employers      
likely to hire graduates2  7,b7         
effectively teach the skills offered to 
covered individuals2  7,c7 provide      
relevant industry experience in the     
fields of programs offered to incoming  
covered individuals2 and  7,d7          
demonstrate relevant industry experience
 in such fields of programs4  7#f7 ,in  

entering into contracts under this      
subsection1 the ,secretary shall give   
preference to a provider of a high      
technology program of education-- 7,a7  
from which at least #gj percent of      
graduates find full-time employment in  
the field of study of the program during
 the #ahj-;day period beginning on the  
date the student graduates from the     
program2 or  7,b7 that offers tuition   
reimbursement for any student who       
graduates from such a program and does  
not find employment described in        
subparagraph 7,a74  7d7 ,effect on other
 entitlement  7#a7 ,if a covered        
individual enrolled in a high technology
 program of education under this section
 has remaining entitlement to           
educational assistance under chapter    
#cj1 #cb1 #cc1 #cd1 or #ce of this      
title1 entitlement of the individual to 
educational assistance under this       
section shall be charged at the rate of 
one month of such remaining entitlement 
for each such month of educational      

assistance under this section4  7#b7    
,the ,secretary may not consider        
enrollment in a high technology program 
of education under this section to be   
assistance under a provision of law     
referred to in section #cfie of this    
title4  7e7 ,requirements for           
educational institutions  7#a7 ,the     
,secretary shall not approve the        
enrollment of any covered individual1   
not already enrolled1 in any high       
technology programs of education under  
this section for any period during which
 the ,secretary finds that more than #he
 percent of the students enrolled in the
 program are having all or part of their
 tuition1 fees1 or other charges paid to
 or for them by the educational         
institution or by the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs under this title or  
under chapter #afjf or #afjg of title   
#aj1 except with respect to tuition1    
fees1 or other charges that are paid    
under a payment plan at an educational  
institution that the ,secretary         

determines has a history of offering    
payment plans that are completed not    
later than #ahj days after the end of   
the applicable term1 quarter1 or        
semester4  7#b7 ,the ,secretary may     
waive a requirement of paragraph 7#a7 if
 the ,secretary determines1 pursuant to 
regulations which the ,secretary shall  
prescribe1 such waiver to be in the     
interest of the covered individual and  
the ,federal ,government4 ,not later    
than #cj days after the ,secretary      
waives such a requirement1 the          
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,senate and ,house of               
,representatives a report regarding such
 waiver4  7#c7 7,a7 7i7 ,the ,secretary 
shall establish and maintain a process  
by which an educational institution may 
request a review of a determination that
 the educational institution does not   
meet the requirements of paragraph 7#a74
  7ii7 ,the ,secretary may consult with 
a ,state approving agency regarding such

 process or such a review4  7iii7 ,not  
later than #ahj days after the          
,secretary establishes or revises a     
process under this subparagraph1 the    
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report regarding such
 process4  7,b7 ,an educational         
institution that requests a review under
 subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 shall request  
the review not later than #cj days after
 the start of the term1 quarter1 or     
semester for which the determination    
described in subparagraph 7,a7 applies2 
and  7ii7 may include any information   
that the educational institution        
believes the ,department should have    
taken into account when making the      
determination1 including with respect to
 any mitigating circumstances4  7f7     
,annual reports ,not later than one year
 after the date of the enactment of the 
,continue ,,vet ,,tec ,authorization    

,act of #bjbc1 and annually thereafter  
until the termination date specified in 
subsection 7i71 the ,secretary shall    
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report on 
the operation of program under this     
section during the year covered by the  
report4 ,each such report shall include 
each of the following3 7#a7 ,the number 
of covered individuals enrolled in the  
program1 disaggregated by type of       
educational institution1 during the year
 covered by the report4  7#b7 ,the      
number of covered individuals who       
completed a high technology program of  
education under the program during the  
year covered by the report4  7#c7 ,the  
average employment rate of covered      
individuals who completed such a program
 of education during such year1 as of   
#ahj days after the date of completion4 
7#d7 ,the average length of time between
 the completion of such a program of    

education and employment4  7#e7 ,the    
total number of covered individuals who 
completed a program of education under  
the program and who1 as of the date of  
the submission of the report1 are       
employed in a position related to       
technology4  7#f7 ,the average salary of
 a covered individual who completed a   
program of education under the program  
and who is employed in a position       
related to technology1 in various       
geographic areas determined by the      
,secretary4  7#g7 ,the average salary of
 all individuals employed in positions  
related to technology in the geographic 
areas determined under subparagraph     
7,f71 and the difference1 if any1       
between such average salary and the     
average salary of a covered individual  
who completed a program of education    
under the program and who is employed in
 a position related to technology4  7#h7
 ,the number of covered individuals who 
completed a program of education under  
the program and who subsequently        

enrolled in a second program of         
education under the program4  7g7       
,collection of information2 consultation
  7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall develop    
practices to use to collect information 
about covered individuals and providers 
of high technology programs of          
education4  7#b7 ,for the purpose of    
carrying out program under this section1
 the ,secretary may consult with        
providers of high technology programs of
 education and may establish an advisory
 group made up of representatives of    
such providers1 private employers in the
 technology field1 and other relevant   
groups or entities1 as the ,secretary   
determines necessary4  7h7 ,definitions 
,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term covered
 individual means any of the following3 
7,a7 ,a veteran whom the ,secretary     
determines-- 7i7 served an aggregate of 
at least #cf months on active duty in   
the ,armed ,forces 7including service on
 active duty in entry level and skill   
training7 and was discharged or released

 therefrom under conditions other than  
dishonorable2 and  7ii7 has not attained
 the age of #fb4  7,b7 ,a member of the 
,armed ,forces that the ,secretary      
determines will become a veteran        
described in subparagraph 7,a7 fewer    
than #ahj days after the date of such   
determination4  7#b7 ,the term high     
technology program of education means a 
program of education-- 7,a7 offered by a
 public or private educational          
institution2  7,b7 if offered by an     
institution of higher learning1 that is 
provided directly by such institution   
rather than by an entity other than such
 institution under a contract or other  
agreement2  7,c7 that does not lead to a
 degree2  7,d7 that has a term of not   
less than six and not more than #bh     
weeks2 and  7,e7 that provides          
instruction in computer programming1    
computer software1 media application1   
data processing1 or information         
sciences4  7i7 ,termination ,the        
authority to carry out a program under  

this section shall terminate on         
,september #cj1 #bjbh4  4  7#b7         
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
sections at the beginning of such       
chapter is amended by inserting after   
the item relating to section #cfii;,b   
the following new item3  #cfii;,c4 ,high
 technology program4  4  7b7 ,effect on 
high technology pilot program ,section  
#aaf of the ,harry ,w4 ,colmery         
,veterans ,educational ,assistance ,act 
of #bjag 7,public ,law #aae-dh2 #ch     
,u4,s4,c4 #cjja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 
in subsection 7g71 by striking paragraph
 7#f72 and  7#b7 by striking subsection 
7h7 and inserting the following new     
subsection 7h73  7h7 ,termination ,the  
authority to carry out a pilot program  
under this section shall terminate      
,september #cj1 #bjbc4  4  7c7 ,approval
 of certain high technology programs    
,section #cfhj;,a of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in     
subsection 7a71 by striking paragraph   
7#d7 and inserting the following3  7#d7 

,any independent study program except-- 
7,a7 an independent study program       
7including such a program taken over    
open circuit television7 that-- 7i7 is  
accredited by an accrediting agency or  
association recognized by the ,secretary
 of ,education under subpart #b of part 
,h of title ,,iv of the ,higher         
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajii;b72  7ii7 leads to-- 7,i7 a       
standard college degree2  7,,ii7 a      
certificate that reflects educational   
attainment offered by an institution of 
higher learning2 or  7,,iii7 a          
certificate that reflects graduation    
from a course of study offered by-- 7aa7
 an area career and technical education 
school 7as defined in subparagraphs 7,c7
 and 7,d7 of section #c7c7 of the ,carl 
,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical     
,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#bcjb7c777 that provides education at   
the postsecondary level2 or  7bb7 a     
postsecondary vocational institution 7as
 defined in section #ajb7;c7 of the     

,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb7;c777 that provides     
education at the postsecondary level2   
and  7iii7 in the case of a program     
described in clause 7ii77,,iii7-- 7,i7  
provides training aligned with the      
requirements of employers in the ,state 
or local area where the program is      
located1 which may include in-demand    
industry sectors or occupations2  7,,ii7
 provides a student1 upon graduation    
from the program1 with a recognized     
postsecondary credential that is        
recognized by employers in the relevant 
industry1 which may include a credential
 recognized by industry or sector       
partnerships in the ,state or local area
 where the industry is located2 and     
7,,iii7 meets such content and          
instructional standards as may be       
required to comply with the criteria    
under section #cfgf7;c77#ad7 and 7#ae7  
of this title2 or  7,b7 an online high  
technology program of education 7as     
defined in subsection 7h7 of section    

#cfii;,c of this title7-- 7i7 the       
provider of which has entered into a    
contract with the ,secretary under      
subsection 7c7 of such section2  7ii7   
that has been provided to covered       
individuals 7as defined in subsection   
7h7 of such section7 under such contract
 for a period of at least five years2   
7iii7 regarding which the ,secretary has
 determined that the average employment 
rate of covered individuals who         
graduated from such program of education
 is #fe percent or higher for the year  
preceding such determination2 and  7iv7 
that satisfies the requirements of      
subsection 7e7 of such section4  2 and  
7#b7 in subsection 7d71 by adding at the
 end the following3  7#h7 ,paragraph    
7#a7 shall not apply to the enrollment  
of a veteran in an online high          
technology program described in         
subsection 7a77#d77;,b74  4  7d7        
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
subsections 7a7 and 7c7 shall take      
effect on ,october #a1 #bjbc4  7e7      

,recission of certain amounts           
appropriated by ,american ,rescue ,plan 
,act of #bjba ,of the amounts           
appropriated by section #hjjb of the    
,american ,rescue ,plan ,act of #bjba   
7,public ,law #aag-b7 that remain       
unobligated on the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 #gjj1jjj1jjj is          
rescinded4