Career-Ready Student Veterans Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2360) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the approval of certain programs of education for purposes of educational assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2360

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Career-Ready Student Veterans Act''. SEC. 2. APPROVAL OF COURSES FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Approval of Non-Accredited Courses.--Subsection (c) of section 3676 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (16); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new paragraphs:

``(14) In the case of a program designed to prepare an individual for licensure or certification in a State, the program meets any instructional curriculum licensure or certification requirements of such State.

``(15) In the case of a program designed to prepare an individual for employment pursuant to standards developed by a board or agency of a State in an occupation that requires approval or licensure, the program is approved or licensed by such board or agency of the State.''.

(b) Exceptions.--Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

``(f)(1) The Secretary may waive the requirements of paragraph (14) or (15) of subsection (c) in the case of a program of education offered by an educational institution if the Secretary determines all of the following:

``(A) The educational institution is not accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education.

``(B) The program did not meet the requirements of such paragraph at any time during the two-year period preceding the date of the waiver.

``(C) The waiver furthers the purposes of the educational assistance programs administered by the Secretary or would further the education interests of individuals eligible for assistance under such programs.

``(D) The educational institution does not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance, except for the recruitment of foreign students residing in foreign countries who are not eligible to receive Federal student assistance.

``(2) Not later than 30 days after the Secretary issues a waiver under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to Congress notice of the waiver and the justification of the Secretary for issuing the waiver.''.

(c) Approval of Accredited Programs.--Section 3675(b)(3) of such title is amended--

(1) by striking ``and (3)'' and inserting ``(3), (14), and (15)''; and

(2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``(or, with respect to such paragraphs (14) and (15), the requirements under such paragraphs are waived pursuant to subsection (f) of section 3676)''.

(d) Disapproval of Courses.--Section 3679 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

``(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Secretary shall disapprove a course of education described in section 3676(c)(14) or (15) unless the educational institution providing the course of education publicly discloses any conditions or additional requirements, including training, experience, or exams, required to obtain the license, certification, or approval for which the course of education is designed to provide preparation.''.

(e) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3672(b)(2)(A)(i) of such title is amended by striking ``An accredited'' and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraphs (14) and (15) of section 3676(c) of this title, an accredited''.

(f) Applicability.--If after enrollment in a course of education that is subject to disapproval by reason of an amendment made by this Act, an individual pursues one or more courses of education at the same educational institution while remaining continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters or terms) at that institution, any course so pursued by the individual at that institution while so continuously enrolled shall not be subject to disapproval by reason of such amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MILLER of Florida. 2360, as amended, in the Record.

The post-9/11 GI Bill provides student veterans with a wonderful opportunity to educate themselves for a job in the new economy. Thousands of training programs and schools have been approved for use of this program, which has benefited millions of veterans.

Unfortunately, there are some schools that are not simply providing quality education or training that sufficiently prepares students for jobs in their field of study.

The committee has found that, in some cases, students have been caught in a situation where the school they attended is properly accredited, but the program they are using at the school is not. This has led to situations where students have completed a training or a degree program only to find out that this training does not qualify them to receive the necessary credentials or take the necessary tests to practice in the career field for which they used their benefits.

This was clearly not the intention of the GI Bill, and I am glad that this bill would ensure that in order to be eligible for GI Bill benefits, an accredited or nonaccredited program must meet State accreditation, licensure, or certification standards. This requirement would not only protect student veterans but would also protect the integrity of the GI Bill for future generations.

I want to thank Chairman Wenstrup of our Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and the author of the bill, Ranking Member Takano, for their work on this legislation, which has my full support.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2306, as amended.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source