I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2523 

To amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to improve the COVID– 

19 Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance program, to make certain technical corrections to the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans 

Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 14, 2021 

Mr. LEVIN of California (for himself and Mr. BOST) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in 

addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to improve 

the COVID–19 Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance program, to make certain technical corrections to the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health 

Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Training in High-de3 mand Roles to Improve Veteran Employment Act’’ or the 

4 ‘‘THRIVE Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO COVID–19 VETERAN RAPID RE6 TRAINING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 

7 Section 8006 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 

8 2021 (Public Law 117–2) is amended— 

9 (1) by striking paragraph (3) of subsection (c) 

10 and inserting the following new paragraph (3): 

11 ‘‘(3) DETERMINATION OF HIGH-DEMAND OCCU12 PATIONS.— 

13 ‘‘(A) INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION.—In car14 rying out this section, the Secretary shall use 

15 the list of high-demand occupations prepared in 

16 conjunction with the Secretary of Labor. 

17 ‘‘(B) MODIFICATIONS.—The Secretary of 

18 Veterans Affairs may add and remove occupa19 tions from the list under subparagraph (A) as 

20 the Secretary determines appropriate.’’; 

21 (2) in subsection (d)(3)— 

22 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

23 (A), by inserting ‘‘(other than such a program 

24 pursued solely through distance learning on a 

25 half-time basis or less)’’ after ‘‘a covered proVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:34 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2523.IH H2523

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1 gram of education under the retraining assist2 ance program under this section’’; and 

3 (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘less 

4 than a half-time basis’’ and inserting ‘‘a half5 time basis or less’’; 

6 (3) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), and 

7 (h) as subsections (k), (l), and (m), respectively; 

8 (4) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol9 lowing new subsections: 

10 ‘‘(f) EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of Vet11 erans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, 

12 shall contact each veteran who pursues a covered program 

13 of education under this section— 

14 ‘‘(1) not later than 30 days after the date on 

15 which the veteran begins the program of education 

16 to notify the veteran of the availability of employ17 ment placement services upon completion of the pro18 gram; and 

19 ‘‘(2) not later than 14 days after the date on 

20 which the veteran completes, or terminates partici21 pation in, such program to facilitate the provision of 

22 employment placement services to such veteran. 

23 ‘‘(g) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

25 Affairs shall seek to enter into a memorandum of 


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1 understanding with one or more qualified nonprofit 

2 organizations for the purpose of facilitating the em3 ployment of veterans who participate in the retrain4 ing assistance program under this section. 

5 ‘‘(2) QUALIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.— 

6 For purposes of this subsection, a qualified non7 profit organization is a nonprofit organization 

8 that— 

9 ‘‘(A) is an association of businesses; and 

10 ‘‘(B) has at least two years of experience 

11 providing job placement services for veterans. 

12 ‘‘(h) FOLLOW UP OUTREACH.—The Secretary of Vet13 erans Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, 

14 shall contact each veteran who completes a covered pro15 gram of education under the retraining assistance pro16 gram under this section 30, 60, 90, and 180 days after 

17 the veteran completes such program of education to ask 

18 the veteran about the experience of the veteran in the re19 training assistance program and the veteran’s employment 

20 status. 

21 ‘‘(i) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not later than the date 

22 that is one year after the date of the enactment of this 

23 Act, and quarterly thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall 

24 submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Sen25 ate and House of Representatives a report containing the 


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1 following information about veterans who participate in 

2 the retraining assistance program under this section: 

3 ‘‘(1) The percentage of such veterans who 

4 found employment before the end of the second cal5 endar quarter after exiting the program. 

6 ‘‘(2) The percentage of such veterans who 

7 found employment before the end of the fourth cal8 endar quarter after exiting the program. 

9 ‘‘(3) The median earnings of all such veterans 

10 for the second quarter after exiting the program. 

11 ‘‘(4) The percentage of such veterans who at12 tain a recognized postsecondary credential during 

13 the 12-month period after exiting the program. 

14 ‘‘(j) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not later 

15 than 180 days after the termination of the retraining as16 sistance program under subsection (l), the Comptroller 

17 General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af18 fairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report 

19 on the outcomes and effectiveness of the program.’’; 

20 (5) in subsection (l), as so redesignated, by 

21 striking ‘‘No retraining assistance may be paid 

22 under this section after the date that is 21 months 

23 after the date of the enactment of this Act’’ and in24 serting ‘‘No retraining assistance may be paid under 


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1 this section for a covered program of education that 

2 begins on or after December 11, 2022’’; 

3 (6) in subsection (m), as so redesignated, by in4 serting at the end the following new sentences: 

5 ‘‘Amounts made available to carry out this section 

6 shall be deposited in the Department of Veterans Af7 fairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Readjust8 ment Benefits account. If any amounts so appro9 priated are deposited into a different account of the 

10 Department, the Secretary shall transfer an amount 

11 equal to such deposited amounts from the account to 

12 which the amounts were deposited to the Depart13 ment of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Admin14 istration, Readjustment Benefits account. Not more 

15 than $386,000,000 may be obligated or expended to 

16 carry out this section.’’; and 

17 (7) by adding at the end the following new sub18 section: 

19 ‘‘(n) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

20 ‘‘(1) The term ‘covered public health emer21 gency’ means the declaration— 

22 ‘‘(A) of a public health emergency, based 

23 on an outbreak of COVID–19 by the Secretary 

24 of Health and Human Services under section 


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1 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 

2 U.S.C. 247d); or 

3 ‘‘(B) of a domestic emergency, based on an 

4 outbreak of COVID–19 by the President, the 

5 Secretary of Homeland Security, or State, or 

6 local authority. 

7 ‘‘(2) The term ‘veteran’ means— 

8 ‘‘(A) a person who served in the active 

9 military, naval, or air service, and who was dis10 charged or released therefrom under conditions 

11 other than dishonorable; or 

12 ‘‘(B) a member of a reserve component of 

13 the Armed Forces who performs active service 

14 for a period of 30 days or longer by reason of 

15 the covered public health emergency. 

16 ‘‘(3) The term ‘active service’ has the meaning 

17 given such term in section 101 of title 10, United 

18 States Code.’’. 

19 SEC. 3. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF VET20 ERANS AFFAIRS ABOUT POSTSECONDARY 

21 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 

22 (a) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED.— 

23 Subsection (c) of section 3698 of title 38, United States 

24 Code, is amended— 

25 (1) in paragraph (1)(C)— 


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1 (A) in clause (xi), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

2 end; 

3 (B) in clause (xii), by striking the period 

4 and inserting a semicolon; and 

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

6 clauses: 

7 ‘‘(xiii) whether the institution is listed on 

8 the College Navigator website as affiliated with 

9 a religion and, if so, which religious denomina10 tion; 

11 ‘‘(xiv) whether the Secretary of Education 

12 or other head of a department or agency of the 

13 Federal Government has determined that the 

14 institution is a minority serving institution and, 

15 if so, which one or more types of minority serv16 ing institutions; and 

17 ‘‘(xv) whether the institution is gender spe18 cific.’’; and 

19 (2) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the 

20 following new sentence: ‘‘To the extent practicable, 

21 the Secretary shall ensure that such information is 

22 provided in a searchable format.’’. 

23 (b) DEFINITION.—Subsection (f) of such section is 

24 amended by adding at the end the following new para25 graphs: 


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1 ‘‘(3) The term ‘College Navigator website’ has 

2 the meaning given that term in section 132 of the 

3 Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1015a). 

4 ‘‘(4) The term ‘minority serving institution’ 

5 means any of the following: 

6 ‘‘(A) A part B institution, as such term is 

7 defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Edu8 cation Act (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)). 

9 ‘‘(B) A Hispanic-serving institution, as 

10 such term is defined in section 502(a)(5) of 

11 such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(5)). 

12 ‘‘(C) A Tribal College or University, as 

13 such term is defined in section 316(b)(3) of 

14 such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3)). 

15 ‘‘(D) A predominantly Black institution, as 

16 such term is defined in section 318(b)(6) of 

17 such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6)). 

18 ‘‘(E) A Native American-serving, nontribal 

19 institution, as such term is defined in section 

20 319(b)(2) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059f(b)(6)). 

21 ‘‘(F) An Alaska Native-serving institution 

22 or Native Hawaiian-serving institution, as such 

23 terms are defined in section 317(b) of such Act 

24 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)). 


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1 ‘‘(G) An Asian American and Native 

2 American Pacific Islander-serving institution, as 

3 such term is defined in section 320(b) of such 

4 Act (20 U.S.C. 1059g(b)).’’. 

5 (c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 

6 section shall apply with respect to the information pro7 vided under section 3698 of title 38, United States Code, 

8 beginning on the date that is two years after the date of 

9 the enactment of this Act. 

10 SEC. 4. DELAY OF EFFECTIVE DATE FOR LIMITATION ON 

11 COLOCATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

12 STATE APPROVING AGENCIES. 

13 Section 1024 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. 

14 Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improve15 ment Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315) is amended to 

16 read as follows: 

17 ‘‘SEC. 1024. LIMITATION ON COLOCATION AND ADMINIS18 TRATION OF STATE APPROVING AGENCIES. 

19 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3671 of title 38, United 

20 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol21 lowing new subsection: 

22 ‘‘ ‘(c) The Secretary may not recognize a State de23 partment or agency as the State approving agency for a 

24 State for purposes of this chapter if such department or 

25 agency is administered at, or colocated with, a university 


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1 or university system that offers courses or programs of 

2 education that are subject to approval under this chapter 

3 by the State approving agency for that State.’. 

4 ‘‘(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

5 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is one 

6 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.’’. 

7 SEC. 5. CLARIFICATION OF APPLICABILITY OF TREATMENT 

8 OF CERTAIN FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL IN9 STITUTIONS. 

10 (a) CLARIFICATION.—Section 1022(c) of the Johnny 

11 Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care 

12 and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116– 

13 315) is amended by inserting ‘‘, or the conversion of a 

14 for-profit educational institution to a public educational 

15 institution,’’ after ‘‘nonprofit educational institution’’. 

16 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

17 subsection (a) shall apply as if included in the enactment 

18 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans 

19 Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Pub20 lic Law 116–315). 


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1 SEC. 6. CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR 

2 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PARTICI3 PATING IN THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 

4 PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VET5 ERANS AFFAIRS. 

6 Subsection (f) of section 3679 of title 38, United 

7 States Code, as added by section 1018 of the Johnny Isak8 son and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and 

9 Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315), 

10 is amended— 

11 (1) in paragraph (1)(E), by inserting ‘‘, to the 

12 maximum extent practicable,’’ after ‘‘including’’; 

13 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

14 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

15 (A), by inserting ‘‘, or any person with whom 

16 the institution has an agreement to provide 

17 educational programs, marketing, advertising, 

18 recruiting or admissions services,’’ after ‘‘edu19 cational institution’’; 

20 (B) in paragraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘1- 

21 month’’ and inserting ‘‘one-month’’; and 

22 (C) by striking subparagraph (B) and in23 serting the following new subparagraph (B): 

24 ‘‘(B) Provides a commission, bonus, or other in25 centive payment based directly or indirectly on suc26 cess in securing enrollments or financial aid to any 


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1 persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting 

2 or admission activities or in making decisions re3 garding the award of student financial assistance.’’; 

4 (3) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking clause (ii) 

5 and inserting the following new clauses: 

6 ‘‘(ii) Suspending the approval of the courses 

7 and programs of education offered by the edu8 cational institution by disapproving new enrollments 

9 of eligible veterans and eligible persons in each 

10 course or program of education offered by that edu11 cational institution. 

12 ‘‘(iii) Revoking the approval of the courses and 

13 programs of education offered by the educational in14 stitution by disapproving all enrollments of eligible 

15 veterans and eligible persons in each course or pro16 gram of education offered by that educational insti17 tution’’; and 

18 (4) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ‘‘1-aca19 demic-year period’’ and inserting ‘‘one-academic-year 

20 period’’. 

21 SEC. 7. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. 

22 (a) TITLE 38.—Title 38, United States Code, is 

23 amended as follows: 

24 (1) The second section 1164, as added by sec25 tion 5501 the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, 


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1 M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improve2 ment Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315), is redesig3 nated as section 1166 and transferred so as to ap4 pear after section 1165 (and the table of sections at 

5 the beginning of chapter 11 of such title is con6 formed accordingly). 

7 (2) Subsection (l) of section 3313, as added by 

8 section 1010 of such Act (as effective on August 1, 

9 2021), is amended to read as follows: 

10 ‘‘(l) VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall re12 quire— 

13 ‘‘(A) each educational institution to submit 

14 to the Secretary verification of each individual 

15 who is enrolled in a course or program of edu16 cation at the educational institution and is re17 ceiving educational assistance under this chap18 ter— 

19 ‘‘(i) not later than such time as the 

20 Secretary determines reasonable after the 

21 date on which the individual is enrolled; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(ii) not later than such time as the 

24 Secretary determines reasonable after the 

25 last date on which a student is able to 


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1 withdraw from the course or program of 

2 education without penalty; and 

3 ‘‘(B) each individual who is enrolled in a 

4 course or program of education and is receiving 

5 educational assistance under this chapter to 

6 submit to the Secretary verification of such en7 rollment for each month during which the indi8 vidual is so enrolled and receiving such edu9 cational assistance. 

10 ‘‘(2) FORM OF VERIFICATION.—Verification 

11 under this subsection shall be in an electronic form 

12 prescribed by the Secretary. 

13 ‘‘(3) FAILURE TO SUBMIT VERIFICATION.—If 

14 an individual fails to submit the verification required 

15 under paragraph (1)(B) for two consecutive months, 

16 the Secretary may not make a monthly housing sti17 pend payment to the individual under this section 

18 until the individual submits such verification.’’. 

19 (3) Section 3673A, as added by section 1013 of 

20 such Act, is amended— 

21 (A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘search22 able’’; and 

23 (B) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘search24 able’’ before ‘‘database’’. 


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1 (4) The subsection (f) of section 3679, as added 

2 by section 1017 of such Act, is redesignated as para3 graph (3) of subsection (a) of such section 3679 and 

4 is transferred so as to appear after paragraph (2) of 

5 such subsection. 

6 (5) Section 3696(g)(4)(A)(iii)(III), as amended 

7 by section 1020 of such Act, is amended by striking 

8 ‘‘paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘paragraph (3)’’. 

10 (b) JOHNNY ISAKSON AND DAVID P. ROE, M.D. VET11 ERANS HEALTH CARE AND BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT ACT

12 OF 2020.—The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. 

13 Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 

14 2020 (Public Law 116–315) is amended as follows: 

15 (1) In section 1013(a)(1), by inserting ‘‘of title 

16 38’’ after ‘‘of chapter 36’’. 

17 (2) In section 2205(c)— 

18 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘EFFEC19 TIVE DATE’’ and inserting ‘‘APPLICABILITY’’; 

20 and 

21 (B) by striking ‘‘the date that is two years 

22 after the date of the enactment of this Act’’ 

23 and inserting ‘‘the date of the enactment of this 

24 Act and shall apply with respect to grants ap25 plications submitted on or after the date that is 


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1 two years after the date of the enactment of 

2 this Act.’’ 

3 (3) In section 4101(b), by striking ‘‘sub4 chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘chapter’’. 

5 (4) In section 5501— 

6 (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘of 

7 such title’’ and inserting ‘‘of title 38, United 

8 States Code’’; and 

9 (B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘section 

10 1164’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘sec11 tion 1166’’. 

12 SEC. 8. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

13 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

14 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

15 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

16 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

17 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

18 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro19 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

20 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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