In the Senate of the United States, 

March 26 (legislative day, March 25), 2020. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 3504) entitled ‘‘An Act to amend title 38, United 

States Code, to provide for improvements to the specially 

adapted housing program and educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 

purposes.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENT: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ryan Kules and Paul 

3 Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 

4 2019’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

2 TO ASSIST BLIND VETERANS WHO HAVE NOT 

3 LOST USE OF A LEG IN ACQUIRING SPE4 CIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING. 

5 Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amend6 ed— 

7 (1) in subsection (a)(2)— 

8 (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking 

9 ‘‘permanent and total’’; and 

10 (B) in subparagraph (B), 

11 (i) in clauses (i), (iii), (iv), and (v), by 

12 inserting ‘‘permanent and total’’ before 

13 ‘‘disability’’; and 

14 (ii) in clause (ii)— 

15 (I) by inserting ‘‘permanent’’ be16 fore ‘‘disability’’; 

17 (II) by striking ‘‘due to—’’ and 

18 inserting ‘‘due to blindness in both 

19 eyes, having central visual acuity of 

20 20/200 or less in the better eye with the 

21 use of a standard correcting lens. For 

22 the purposes of this clause, an eye with 

23 a limitation in the fields of vision such 

24 that the widest diameter of the visual 

25 field subtends an angle no greater than 

26 20 degrees shall be considered as hav-
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1 ing a central visual acuity of 20/200 

2 or less.’’; and 

3 (III) by striking subclauses (I) 

4 and (II); and 

5 (2) in subsection (b)(2)— 

6 (A) by striking subparagraph (A); and 

7 (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) 

8 and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respec9 tively. 

10 SEC. 3. INCREASE IN AMOUNTS OF SPECIALLY ADAPTED 

11 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY DE12 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

13 (a) INCREASE OF NUMBER OF GRANTS PER VET14 ERAN.—Section 2102(d)(3) of such title is amended— 

15 (1) by striking ‘‘No veteran’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘Subject to subsection (f), no veteran’’; and 

17 (2) by striking ‘‘three’’ and inserting ‘‘six’’. 

18 (b) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AUTHOR19 IZED TO BE APPROVED.—Section 2101(a)(4) of such title 

20 is amended by striking ‘‘30 applications’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘120 applications’’. 

22 (c) INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE

23 FOR ADAPTATION TO VETERAN’S RESIDENCE.—Section 

24 2102(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘$12,000’’ 

25 and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 
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1 (d) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE

2 FOR ACQUISITION OF HOUSING WITH SPECIAL FEA3 TURES.—Section 2102(d)(1) of such title is amended by 

4 striking ‘‘$63,780’’ and inserting ‘‘$98,492’’. 

5 (e) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE

6 FOR ADAPTATIONS TO VETERANS’ RESIDENCES.—Section 

7 2102(d)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘$12,756’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 

9 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION.—The amend10 ments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 

11 2020. 

12 SEC. 4. PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF SPE13 CIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR 

14 CERTAIN VETERANS. 

15 Section 2102 of such title, as amended by section 3, 

16 is further amended by adding at the end the following new 

17 subsection: 

18 ‘‘(f)(1) Beginning October 1, 2030, notwithstanding 

19 the aggregate amounts specified in subsection (d), a covered 

20 veteran may apply for and receive an additional amount 

21 of assistance under subsection (a) or (b) of section 2101 of 

22 this title in an amount that does not exceed half of the 

23 amount specified in subsection (d). 

24 ‘‘(2) In this subsection, a covered veteran is a veteran 

25 who— 
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1 ‘‘(A) is described in subsection (a)(2) or (b)(2) of 

2 section 2101 of this title; 

3 ‘‘(B) as of the date of the veteran’s application 

4 for assistance under paragraph (1), most recently re5 ceived assistance under this chapter more than 10 

6 years before such date; and 

7 ‘‘(C) lives in a home that the Secretary deter8 mines does not have adaptations that are reasonably 

9 necessary because of the veteran’s disability.’’. 

10 SEC. 5. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PREPARATORY COURSES 

11 AS PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION FOR PUR12 POSES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF13 FAIRS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PRO14 GRAMS. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 33 of title 38, United 

16 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3315A 

17 the following new section: 

18 ‘‘§ 3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certifi19 cation, or national tests 

20 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An individual entitled to edu21 cational assistance under this chapter shall also be entitled 

22 to payment for a covered preparatory course. 

23 ‘‘(b) AMOUNT.—The amount of educational assistance 

24 payable under this chapter for a covered preparatory course 

25 is the lesser of— 
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1 ‘‘(1) the fee charged for the covered preparatory 

2 course; or 

3 ‘‘(2) the amount of entitlement available to the 

4 individual under this chapter at the time of payment 

5 for the covered preparatory course under this section. 

6 ‘‘(c) CHARGE AGAINST ENTITLEMENT.—The number 

7 of months of entitlement charged an individual under this 

8 chapter for a covered preparatory course shall be pro-rated 

9 based on the actual amount of the fee charged for the covered 

10 preparatory course relative to the rate for 1 month pay11 able— 

12 ‘‘(1) for the academic year beginning on August 

13 1, 2020, $2,042; or 

14 ‘‘(2) for an academic year beginning on any sub15 sequent August 1, the amount for the previous aca16 demic year beginning on August 1 under this sub17 section, as increased by the percentage increase equal 

18 to the most recent percentage increase determined 

19 under section 3015(h). 

20 ‘‘(d) COVERED PREPARATORY COURSE DEFINED.—In 

21 this section, the term ‘covered preparatory course’ means 

22 a course— 

23 ‘‘(1) for a licensing or certification test that is 

24 required or used to enter into, maintain, or advance 
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1 in employment in a predetermined and identified vo2 cation or profession; and 

3 ‘‘(2) that has been approved by the State approv4 ing agency concerned.’’. 

5 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

6 the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 

7 the item relating to section 3315A the following new item: 

‘‘3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certification, or national tests.’’. 

8 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 3532(g) of 

9 title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

10 (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or a covered 

11 preparatory course (as that term is defined in section 

12 3315B(a) of this title)’’ after ‘‘or national test pro13 viding an opportunity for course credit at institu14 tions of higher learning described in section 

15 3501(a)(5) of this title’’; and 

16 (2) in paragraphs (2) and (3), by inserting ‘‘or 

17 covered preparatory course’’ after ‘‘test’’ each place it 

18 appears. 

19 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub20 section (a) shall take effect on August 1, 2021. 

21 SEC. 6. IMPROVEMENT TO WORK-STUDY ALLOWANCE PRO22 GRAM. 

23 (a) PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCE.—Subsection (a) of sec24 tion 3485 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
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1 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Individuals’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘In accordance with paragraph (4), in3 dividuals’’; 

4 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) 

5 as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively; and 

6 (3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol7 lowing new paragraph: 

8 ‘‘(4)(A) With respect to covered work-study activities, 

9 the Secretary shall carry out this section by providing to 

10 participating educational institutions an annual amount 

11 for the institution to use in paying work-study allowance 

12 under paragraph (1) to individuals enrolled at the institu13 tion. 

14 ‘‘(B) With respect to a participating educational insti15 tution that participated in the work-study program under 

16 this section during the academic year beginning August 1, 

17 2018, the Secretary shall determine the annual amount to 

18 provide to the educational institution under subparagraph 

19 (A) as follows: 

20 ‘‘(i) For the academic year beginning August 1, 

21 2020, the amount shall be the total amount, deter22 mined in consultation with the educational institu23 tion, that the Secretary paid under this section for 

24 covered work-study activities to individuals enrolled 
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1 at such educational institution during the academic 

2 year beginning August 1, 2018. 

3 ‘‘(ii) Except as provided by clauses (ii) or (iii) 

4 of subparagraph (D), for each academic year begin5 ning on or after August 1, 2021, the amount shall be 

6 the total amount the educational institution paid 

7 under this section for work-study allowance for cov8 ered work-study activities to individuals enrolled at 

9 such educational institution during the previous aca10 demic year in which individuals participated in the 

11 work-study program. 

12 ‘‘(C) With respect to a participating educational insti13 tution that did not participate in the work-study program 

14 under this section during the academic year beginning Au15 gust 1, 2018, the Secretary shall determine the annual 

16 amount to provide to the educational institution under sub17 paragraph (A) as follows: 

18 ‘‘(i) For the first academic year in which the 

19 educational institution participates in the work-study 

20 program beginning on or after August 1, 2020, the 

21 amount shall be an amount, determined in consulta22 tion with the educational institution, that the Sec23 retary determines appropriate based on amounts pro24 vided to similar educational institutions pursuant to 

25 subparagraph (B). 
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† HR 3504 EAS 

1 ‘‘(ii) Except as provided by clauses (ii) or (iii) 

2 of subparagraph (D), for each academic year occur3 ring after the academic year specified in clause (i), 

4 the amount shall be the total amount the educational 

5 institution paid under this section for work-study al6 lowance for covered work-study activities to individ7 uals enrolled at such educational institution during 

8 the previous academic year in which individuals en9 rolled at such educational institution participated in 

10 the work-study program. 

11 ‘‘(D)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the Sec12 retary provides an annual amount to a participating edu13 cational institution under subparagraph (B) or (C) that is 

14 more than the total amount the educational institution 

15 pays to individuals under paragraph (1) for covered work16 study activities, the educational institution shall return to 

17 the Secretary the unpaid amount and the Secretary shall 

18 transfer such amount into the general fund of the Treasury. 

19 ‘‘(ii) If the annual amount provided to a participating 

20 educational institution under subparagraph (B) or (C) is 

21 more, but less than 25 percent more, than the total amount 

22 the educational institution pays to individuals under para23 graph (1) for covered work-study activities, and the edu24 cational institution plans to participate in the work-study 

25 program under this section during the subsequent academic 
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† HR 3504 EAS 

1 year, the educational institution may retain the amount 

2 of the overpayment if the educational institution notifies 

3 the Secretary of the amount of the overpayment and the 

4 intention of the educational institution to retain such 

5 amount. Any amount retained by an educational institu6 tion under this clause may only be used by the educational 

7 institution to provide work-study allowance to individuals 

8 enrolled at the educational institution. 

9 ‘‘(iii) At any time a participating educational institu10 tion may request the Secretary to increase the annual 

11 amount that the Secretary provides the educational institu12 tion under subparagraph (B) or (C). The Secretary shall 

13 approve or disapprove such request by not later than 30 

14 days after the date of the request. 

15 ‘‘(iv) Whenever the Secretary finds that a partici16 pating educational institution paid an amount of work17 study allowance under this paragraph to an individual for 

18 a purpose other than covered work-study activities, such 

19 payment shall constitute a liability of the educational insti20 tution to the United States. 

21 ‘‘(E)(i) Pursuant to section 3690(c), section 3693, and 

22 other provisions of chapter 36 of this title, the Secretary 

23 shall ensure that participating educational institutions 

24 carry out the work-study allowance program in compliance 

25 with this section. 
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1 ‘‘(ii) The Secretary may prohibit an educational insti2 tution from being a participating educational institution 

3 under this paragraph if the Secretary determines that the 

4 educational institution is not in compliance with this sec5 tion. 

6 ‘‘(F) In this paragraph: 

7 ‘‘(i) The term ‘covered work-study activities’ 

8 means qualifying work-study activities described in 

9 subparagraphs (A), (B), (H), (I), or (J) of paragraph 

10 (5) for which an individual is paid a work-study al11 lowance. 

12 ‘‘(ii) The term ‘participating educational insti13 tution’ means an educational institution that— 

14 ‘‘(I)(aa) during the five-academic-year pe15 riod occurring before an academic year during 

16 which the Secretary carries out this paragraph, 

17 the educational institution had on average more 

18 than 10 individuals per academic year partici19 pating in a covered work-study activity under 

20 this section; or 

21 ‘‘(bb) the educational institution is not de22 scribed by item (aa) but informs the Secretary 

23 that the institution expects to have more than 10 

24 individuals in the following academic year par-
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† HR 3504 EAS 

1 ticipating in a covered work-study activity 

2 under this section; and 

3 ‘‘(II) voluntarily chooses to be a partici4 pating educational institution under this para5 graph.’’. 

6 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (e)(1) of 

7 such section is amended by striking ‘‘subsection (a)(4)’’ and 

8 inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(5)’’. 

9 (c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this sec10 tion shall apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, 

11 as applicable, commencing on or after August 1, 2021. 

12 SEC. 7. ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN FEES. 

13 Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is 

14 amended by striking the loan fee table and inserting the 

15 following: 

‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to 

purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, 

or any other initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 

(closed on or after October 1, 2004, and before 

January 1, 2020) 

2.15 2.40 NA 

(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to 

purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, 

or any other initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 

(closed on or after January 1, 2020, and before 

April 7, 2023) 

2.30 2.30 NA 

(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to 

purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, 

or any other initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 

(closed on or after April 7, 2023, and before October 1, 2029) 

2.15 2.15 NA 

(A)(iv) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to 

purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, 

or any other initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 

(closed on or after October 1, 2029) 

1.40 1.40 NA 
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‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling 

with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October 1, 2004, and before January 1, 2020) 

3.30 3.30 NA 

(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling 

with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 

January 1, 2020, and before April 7, 2023) 

3.60 3.60 NA 

(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling 

with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 

April 7, 2023, and before October 1, 2029) 

3.30 3.30 NA 

(B)(iv) Subsequent loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling 

with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October 1, 2029) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(C)(i) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 

(closed before January 1, 2020) 

1.50 1.75 NA 

(C)(ii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 

(closed on or after January 1, 2020, and before 

April 7, 2023) 

1.65 1.65 NA 

(C)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 

(closed on or after April 7, 2023, and before October 1, 2029) 

1.50 1.50 NA 

(C)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 

(closed on or after October 1, 2029) 

0.75 0.75 NA 

(D)(i) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 

(closed before January 1, 2020) 

1.25 1.50 NA 

(D)(ii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 

(closed on or after January 1, 2020, and before 

April 7, 2023) 

1.40 1.40 NA 

(D)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 

(closed on or after April 7, 2023, and before October 1, 2029) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(D)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 

(closed on or after October 1, 2029) 

0.50 0.50 NA 

(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing loan 0.50 0.50 NA 

(F) Direct loan under section 3711 1.00 1.00 NA 

(G) Manufactured home loan under section 3712 

(other than an interest rate reduction refinancing loan) 

1.00 1.00 NA 

(H) Loan to Native American veteran under section 3762 (other than an interest rate reduction 

refinancing loan) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(I) Loan assumption under section 3714 0.50 0.50 0.50 

(J) Loan under section 3733(a) 2.25 2.25 2.25’’. 
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1 SEC. 8. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

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

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

4 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 

5 ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this Act, 

6 submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 

7 Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that 

8 such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on pas9 sage. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R. 3504 

AMENDMENT