I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8661 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 

the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating 

to educational assistance, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2024 

Mr. JAMES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 

improvements to the laws administered by the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs relating to educational assistance, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reforming Education 

5 for Veterans Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CER2 TAIN SERVICE. 

3 (a) OPTIONS.—Section 3691A of title 38, United 

4 States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (1) of sub5 section (a) and inserting the following: 

6 ‘‘(1) A covered member may, after receiving orders 

7 to enter a period of covered service— 

8 ‘‘(A) withdraw from covered education; 

9 ‘‘(B) take a leave of absence from covered edu10 cation; or 

11 ‘‘(C) subject to subsection (d), enter into an 

12 agreement with the institution concerned to complete 

13 a course of covered education to the satisfaction of 

14 such institution concerned.’’. 

15 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Such subsection is 

16 further amended, in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘or 

17 takes a leave of absence’’ and inserting ‘‘, takes a leave 

18 of absence, or enters into an agreement’’. 

19 (c) AGREEMENT.—Such section is further amended 

20 by— 

21 (1) redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 

22 (e); and 

23 (2) by inserting, after subsection (c), the fol24 lowing new subsection (d): 

25 ‘‘(d) AGREEMENT WITH INSTITUTION CON26 CERNED.—A covered member may enter into an agreeVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:44 Jul 30, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8661.IH H8661

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1 ment under subsection (a) only if the covered member has 

2 completed at least half of a course of covered education.’’. 

3 (d) SECTION HEADING.—Such section is amended by 

4 striking the heading and inserting ‘‘Absence from cer5 tain education due to certain service’’. 

6 (e) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections at 

7 the beginning of chapter 36 of such title is amended by 

8 striking the item relating to section 3691A and inserting 

9 the following new item: 

‘‘3691A. Absence from certain education due to certain service.’’. 

10 SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE 

11 SURVEYS. 

12 Section 3693 of title 38, United States Code, is 

13 amended— 

14 (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 

15 following new paragraph: 

16 ‘‘(3) In conducting annual compliance surveys under 

17 this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that any edu18 cational institution or training establishment with multiple 

19 campuses is only required to complete one such survey.’’; 

20 and 

21 (2) in subsection (c)— 

22 (A) by striking ‘‘not more than 10 busi23 ness days of notice’’; 

24 (B) by striking ‘‘this section.’’ and insert25 ing ‘‘this section—’’; and 


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1 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

2 paragraphs: 

3 ‘‘(1) in the case of an educational institution or 

4 training establishment with a time stamp database 

5 collection feature, not more than 15 business days of 

6 notice; and 

7 ‘‘(2) in the case of any other educational insti8 tution or training establishment, not more than 10 

9 business days of notice.’’. 

10 SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS 

11 OF HANDBOOK UPDATES. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 business days 

13 after updating the school certifying official handbook of 

14 the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Vet15 erans Affairs shall provide notice to all school certifying 

16 officials of such update. 

17 (b) SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIAL DEFINED.—The 

18 term ‘‘school certifying official’’ means an employee of an 

19 educational institution with primary responsibility for cer20 tifying veteran enrollment at the educational institution. 

Æ 


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