I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8216 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a Native VetSuccess 

at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 

Mr. GALLEGO (for himself, Mr. COLE, Ms. HAALAND, and Mr. COOK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities 

Pilot Program. 

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 ‘‘Native VetSuccess at 

5 Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NATIVE VETSUCCESS AT TRIBAL COLLEGES AND 

7 UNIVERSITIES PILOT PROGRAM. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 

9 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 


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1 Veterans Affairs shall carry out a five-year pilot program, 

2 to be known as the ‘‘Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges 

3 and Universities Pilot Program’’. Under such pilot pro4 gram the Secretary shall— 

5 (1) identify three regional Native VetSuccess 

6 service areas consisting of at least two participating 

7 Tribal colleges or universities; 

8 (2) assign to each regional Native VetSuccess 

9 service area a VetSuccess on Campus counselor and 

10 a full-time Vet Center outreach coordinator, both of 

11 which shall be based on one or more of the partici12 pating Tribal colleges or universities in the service 

13 area; and 

14 (3) provide for eligible students at such partici15 pating colleges and universities with all services for 

16 which such students would be eligible under the 

17 VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department 

18 of Veterans Affairs. 

19 (b) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—For purposes of the pilot 

20 program, an eligible student is a student who is a veteran, 

21 member of the Armed Forces, or dependent of a veteran 

22 or member of the Armed Forces who is eligible for any 

23 service or benefit under the VetSuccess on Campus pro24 gram of the Department. 


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1 (c) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In developing 

2 the pilot program under this section, the Secretary, acting 

3 through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 

4 Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs and in 

5 coordination with the Office of Tribal Government Rela6 tions of the Department, shall consult with Indian tribes, 

7 Tribal organizations, and veterans service organizations 

8 regarding each of the following: 

9 (1) The design of the pilot program. 

10 (2) The selection of the three regional Native 

11 VetSuccess service areas and participating Tribal 

12 colleges and universities, taking into consideration— 

13 (A) the number of eligible students en14 rolled in the college or university and in the re15 gional service area; 

16 (B) the capacity of the colleges and univer17 sities in the regional service area to accommo18 date a full-time VetSuccess on Campus coun19 selor and a full-time Vet Center outreach coor20 dinator; 

21 (C) the lack of information available at the 

22 colleges and universities in the regional service 

23 area about and lack of access to benefits and 

24 services under the laws administered by the 

25 Secretary; and 


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1 (D) any other factor that the Secretary or 

2 the Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and vet3 erans service organizations identify as relevant. 

4 (3) The most effective way to provide culturally 

5 competent outreach and services to eligible students 

6 at Tribal colleges and universities. 

7 (d) OUTREACH TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.— 

8 The Secretary shall provide notice of the pilot program 

9 to all Tribal colleges and universities and encourage all 

10 Tribal colleges and universities to coordinate with each 

11 other to create regional service areas to participate in the 

12 pilot program. 

13 (e) BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.— 

14 (1) IMPLEMENTATION BRIEFING.—Not later 

15 than one year after the date of the enactment of this 

16 Act, the Secretary shall provide for the Committee 

17 on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Natural 

18 Resources of the House of Representatives and the 

19 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 

20 on Indian Affairs of the Senate a briefing on— 

21 (A) the design, structure, and objectives of 

22 the pilot program; and 

23 (B) the three regional Native Vet Success 

24 service areas and the Tribal colleges and uni25 versities selected for participation in the pilot 


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1 program and the reason for the selection of 

2 such service areas and such colleges and univer3 sities. 

4 (2) REPORT.—Not later than four years after 

5 the date on which the Secretary establishes the pilot 

6 program, the Secretary shall submit to such Com7 mittees a report on the pilot program. Such report 

8 shall include each of the following: 

9 (A) The number of eligible students pro10 vided services through the pilot program. 

11 (B) The types of services that eligible stu12 dents received through the pilot program. 

13 (C) The graduation rate of eligible stu14 dents who received services through the pilot 

15 program. 

16 (D) The rate of employment within one 

17 year of graduation for eligible students who re18 ceived services through the pilot program. 

19 (E) Feedback from each Tribal college or 

20 university that participated in the pilot pro21 gram, including on the regional nature of the 

22 program. 

23 (F) Analysis of the feasibility of expanding 

24 a regionally based Native VetSuccess at Tribal 

25 Colleges and Universities Program, including 


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1 any challenges of such a model due to distance, 

2 communication, coordination, and level of 

3 unmet services. 

4 (G) A detailed legislative proposal regard5 ing a long-term extension of the pilot program, 

6 including a budget, if the Secretary determines 

7 that such an extension is appropriate. 

8 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) The term ‘‘Tribal college or university’’ has 

10 the meaning given such term under section 316 of 

11 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

12 1059c). 

13 (2) The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ has the 

14 meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian 

15 Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 

16 (25 U.S.C. 450b). 

17 (3) The term ‘‘culturally competent’’ means 

18 considerate of the unique values, customs, traditions, 

19 cultures, and languages of Native American vet20 erans. 

Æ 


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