IB 

Union Calendar No. 537 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4830 

[Report No. 115–694] 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the disapproval of 

any course of education for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs unless the educational 

institution providing the course permits individuals to attend or participate in courses pending payment by Department, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 18, 2018 

Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. POSEY, Mr. 

MAST, Mr. JONES, and Mr. O’ROURKE) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

MAY 21, 2018 

Additional sponsors: Mr. KHANNA and Mr. BARR

MAY 21, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 18, 2018] 


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•HR 4830 RH

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the 

disapproval of any course of education for purposes of 

the educational assistance programs of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs unless the educational institution providing the course permits individuals to attend or participate in courses pending payment by Department, and 

for other purposes. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
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•HR 4830 RH

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 ‘‘Servicemembers Im5 proved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress 

6 Act’’ or the ‘‘SIT-REP Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DISAPPROVAL FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL AS8 SISTANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF 

9 VETERANS AFFAIRS OF CERTAIN COURSES OF 

10 EDUCATION THAT DO NOT PERMIT INDIVID11 UALS TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN 

12 COURSES PENDING PAYMENT. 

13 Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is amend14 ed by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

15 ‘‘(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

16 chapter, beginning on August 1, 2018, a State approving 

17 agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of the State 

18 approving agency, shall disapprove a course of education 

19 provided by an educational institution unless the edu20 cational institution has adopted the following policies: 

21 ‘‘(A) A policy that permits any covered indi22 vidual to attend or participate in the course of edu23 cation during the period beginning on the date on 

24 which the individual provides to the educational in25 stitution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to 


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•HR 4830 RH

1 educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of this 

2 title and ending on the earlier of the following dates: 

3 ‘‘(i) The date on which the Secretary pro4 vides payment for such course of education to 

5 such institution. 

6 ‘‘(ii) The date that is 90 days after the date 

7 on which the individual provides to the edu8 cational institution such certificate of eligibility. 

9 ‘‘(B) A policy that ensures that the educational 

10 institution will not impose any penalty, including the 

11 assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, 

12 libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the re13 quirement that a covered individual borrow addi14 tional funds, on any covered individual because of the 

15 individual’s inability to meet his or her financial ob16 ligations to the institution as a result of the delayed 

17 disbursement of any payment to be provided by the 

18 Secretary. 

19 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered indi20 vidual is any individual who is entitled to educational as21 sistance under chapter 31 or 33 of this title. 

22 ‘‘(3) The Secretary may waive such requirements of 

23 paragraph (1) as the Secretary considers appropriate.’’. 


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•HR 4830 RH

1 SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION REGARDING APPLICABILITY OF AU2 THORITY TO USE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 

3 TO PURSUE INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS 

4 AT CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

5 THAT ARE NOT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 

6 LEARNING. 

7 The section heading for section 302 of the Harry W. 

8 Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Pub9 lic Law 115–48) is amended to read as follows (and the 

10 table of contents for such Act is conformed accordingly): 

11 ‘‘SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF EDUCATIONAL AS12 SISTANCE UNDER ANY OF THE EDUCATIONAL 

13 ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPART14 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PURSUE 

15 INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS AT CER16 TAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE 

17 NOT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.’’. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 537 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4830 

[Report No. 115–694] 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 

other purposes. courses pending payment by Department, and for mits individuals to attend or participate in educational institution providing the course perof the Department of Veterans Affairs unless the purposes of the educational assistance programs for the disapproval of any course of education for 

MAY 21, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


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