II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1211 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the use of the phrases 

GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill to give a false impression of approval 

or endorsement by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 20, 2013 

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mrs. 

HAGAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mr. BEGICH, and Mr. SCHATZ) introduced the following bill; which was 

read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the use 

of the phrases GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill to give 

a false impression of approval or endorsement by the 

Department of Veterans Affairs. 

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

3 SECTION 1. PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO REFERENCES TO 

4 GI BILL AND POST-9/11 GI BILL. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 36 of 

6 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

7 end the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 3697B. Prohibition relating to references to GI Bill 

2 and Post-9/11 GI Bill 

3 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—(1) No person may, except with 

4 the written permission of the Secretary, use the words and 

5 phrases covered by this subsection in connection with any 

6 promotion, goods, services, or commercial activity in a 

7 manner that reasonably and falsely suggests that such use 

8 is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department 

9 or any component thereof. 

10 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, the words and 

11 phrases covered by this subsection are as follows: 

12 ‘‘(A) ‘GI Bill’. 

13 ‘‘(B) ‘Post-9/11 GI Bill’. 

14 ‘‘(3) A determination that a use of one or more words 

15 and phrases covered by this subsection in connection with 

16 a promotion, goods, services, or commercial activity is not 

17 a violation of this subsection may not be made solely on 

18 the ground that such promotion, goods, services, or com19 mercial activity includes a disclaimer of affiliation with the 

20 Department or any component thereof. 

21 ‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—(1) 

22 When any person is engaged or is about to engage in an 

23 act or practice which constitutes or will constitute conduct 

24 prohibited by subsection (a), the Attorney General may 

25 initiate a civil proceeding in a district court of the United 

26 States to enjoin such act or practice. 


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1 ‘‘(2) Such court may, at any time before final deter2 mination, enter such restraining orders or prohibitions, or 

3 take such other action as is warranted, to prevent injury 

4 to the United States or to any person or class of persons 

5 for whose protection the action is brought.’’. 

6 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

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

8 by inserting after the item relating to section 3697A the 

9 following new item: 

‘‘3697B. Prohibition relating to references to GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill.’’. 

Æ 


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