I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4830 

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 

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. 

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 ‘‘Servicemembers Im3 proved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress 

4 Act’’ or the ‘‘SIT-REP Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DISAPPROVAL FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL 

6 ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF 

7 VETERANS AFFAIRS OF CERTAIN COURSES 

8 OF EDUCATION THAT DO NOT PERMIT INDI9 VIDUALS TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN 

10 COURSES PENDING PAYMENT. 

11 Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is 

12 amended by adding at the end the following new sub13 section: 

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

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

16 agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of the 

17 State approving agency, shall disapprove a course of edu18 cation provided by an educational institution unless the 

19 educational institution has adopted the following policies: 

20 ‘‘(A) A policy that permits any covered indi21 vidual to attend or participate in the course of edu22 cation during the period beginning on the date on 

23 which the individual provides to the educational in24 stitution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to 

25 educational assistance under chapter 30, 31, 33, or 


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1 35 of this title and ending on the earlier of the fol2 lowing 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 

7 date on which the individual provides to the 

8 educational institution such certificate of eligi9 bility. 

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

11 institution will not impose any penalty, including the 

12 assessment of late fees, the denial of access to class13 es, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the 

14 requirement that a covered individual borrow addi15 tional funds, on any covered individual because of 

16 the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial 

17 obligations to the institution as a result of the de18 layed disbursement of any payment to be provided 

19 by the Secretary. 

20 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered indi21 vidual is any individual who is entitled to educational as22 sistance under chapter 30, 31, 33, or 35 of this title. 

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

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

Æ 


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