I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5175 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to disapprove, for purposes of the educational assistance programs 

of the Department of Veterans Affairs, programs of education determined 

to have utilized deceptive or misleading practices in violation of section 

3696 of such title, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 10, 2016 

Mr. TAKANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disapprove, for purposes 

of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, programs of education determined to have utilized deceptive or misleading practices 

in violation of section 3696 of such title, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘GI Bill Oversight Act 

5 of 2016’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5175 IH

1 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INSPECTOR 

2 GENERAL HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY OF PRO3 GRAMS OF EDUCATION. 

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

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

6 end the following new section: 

7 ‘‘§ 3699. Inspector General heightened scrutiny of 

8 programs of education 

9 ‘‘(a) HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY REQUIRED.—The In10 spector General of the Department shall apply heightened 

11 scrutiny to any program of education if any Federal or 

12 State agency has made a final determination or settlement 

13 that the program of education used deceptive or mis14 leading practices that are potentially in violation of section 

15 3696 of this title. 

16 ‘‘(b) NOTICE TO STUDENTS.—(1) Upon commence17 ment of heightened scrutiny with respect to a program of 

18 education under this section, the Secretary shall provide 

19 notice of the heightened scrutiny and the reasons for such 

20 heightened scrutiny to any individual who— 

21 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in a course of education ap22 proved under this chapter provided by the program 

23 of education; and 

24 ‘‘(B) is entitled to educational assistance under 

25 the laws administered by the Secretary. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5175 IH

1 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall provide to any individual 

2 who receives notice under this subsection advice that the 

3 individual— 

4 ‘‘(A) request a copy of the individual’s tran5 script; and 

6 ‘‘(B) seek counseling from an appropriate advi7 sor about transferring any credits earned at the pro8 gram of education. 

9 ‘‘(c) MONITORING OF ALLEGATIONS.—The Secretary 

10 shall monitor allegations of deceptive and misleading prac11 tices made against programs of education offering courses 

12 of education approved for purposes of this chapter, includ13 ing Federal and State investigations. The Secretary shall 

14 include information about any such allegation on the GI 

15 Bill Comparison Tool, or any similar Internet website of 

16 the Department.’’. 

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

18 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 

19 at the end of the items relating to subchapter II the fol20 lowing new item: 

‘‘3699. Inspector General heightened scrutiny of programs of education.’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5175 IH

1 SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DIS2 APPROVAL OF COURSES OF EDUCATION OF3 FERED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARN4 ING ACCUSED OF CERTAIN DECEPTIVE OR 

5 MISLEADING PRACTICES. 

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

7 amended by adding at the end the following new sub8 section: 

9 ‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall disapprove a course of 

10 education provided by an institution of higher learning if 

11 the Secretary determines pursuant to heightened scrutiny 

12 applied by the Inspector General under section 3699 of 

13 this title that the institution of higher learning has en14 gaged in practices that are in violation of section 3696 

15 of this title. 

16 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall provide counseling services 

17 to individuals enrolled in a course of education dis18 approved under paragraph (1) to assist such individuals 

19 in transferring to another institution of higher learning.’’. 

20 SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON PROGRAMS OF 

21 EDUCATION EMPLOYING DECEPTIVE OR MIS22 LEADING PRACTICES. 

23 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration 

24 with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense, 

25 the Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, the 

26 Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange CommisVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:22 May 12, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5175.IH H5175

SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 5175 IH

1 sion, and the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Finan2 cial Protection, shall establish an interagency working 

3 group to— 

4 (1) share information regarding programs of 

5 education that employ deceptive or misleading prac6 tices; and 

7 (2) enter into memorandum of understanding 

8 under which the Inspector Generals of each relevant 

9 department or agency agree to share information to 

10 determine if funds from other Federal programs are 

11 affected when one department or agency takes ac12 tion to investigate a program of education for decep13 tive or misleading practices. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS