II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2419

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the annual determination of the rate of the basic benefit of active duty educational assistance

under the Montgomery GI Bill, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

APRIL 13, 2000

Mr. JOHNSON (for himself and Ms. COLLINS) 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 provide for the

annual determination of the rate of the basic benefit

of active duty educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, 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 ‘‘Veterans’ Higher Edu5 cation Opportunities Act of 2000’’.
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•S 2419 IS

1 SEC. 2. ANNUAL DETERMINATION OF BASIC BENEFIT OF

2 ACTIVE DUTY EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

3 UNDER THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL.

4 (a) BASIC BENEFIT.—Section 3015 of title 38,

5 United States Code, is amended—

6 (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘of $528

7 (as increased from time to time under subsection

8 (g))’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to the average monthly

9 costs of tuition and expenses for commuter students

10 at public institutions of higher education that award

11 baccalaureate degrees (as determined under sub12 section (g))’’; and

13 (2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ‘‘of $429

14 (as increased from time to time under subsection

15 (g))’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to 75 percent of the aver16 age monthly costs of tuition and expenses for com17 muter students at public institutions of higher edu18 cation that award baccalaureate degrees (as deter19 mined under subsection (g))’’.

20 (b) DETERMINATION OF AVERAGE MONTHLY

21 COSTS.—Subsection (g) of that section is amended to read

22 as follows:

23 ‘‘(g)(1) Not later than September 30 each year, the

24 Secretary shall determine the average monthly costs of tui25 tion and expenses for commuter students at public institu26 tions of higher education that award baccalaureate de-
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•S 2419 IS

1 grees for purposes of subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) for the

2 succeeding fiscal year. The Secretary shall determine such

3 costs utilizing information obtained from the College

4 Board or information provided annually by the College

5 Board in its annual survey of institutions of higher edu6 cation.

7 ‘‘(2) In determining the costs of tuition and expenses

8 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into account

9 the following:

10 ‘‘(A) Tuition and fees.

11 ‘‘(B) The cost of books and supplies.

12 ‘‘(C) The cost of board.

13 ‘‘(D) Transportation costs.

14 ‘‘(E) Other nonfixed educational expenses.

15 ‘‘(3) A determination made under paragraph (1) in

16 a year shall take effect on October 1 of that year and

17 apply with respect to basic educational assistance allow18 ances payable under this section for the fiscal year begin19 ning in that year.

20 ‘‘(4) Not later than September 30 each year, the Sec21 retary shall publish in the Federal Register the average

22 monthly costs of tuition and expenses as determined under

23 paragraph (1) in that year.

24 ‘‘(5) For purposes of this section, the term ‘institu25 tion of higher education’ has the meaning given that term
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1 in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20

2 U.S.C. 1001).’’.

3 (c) STYLISTIC AMENDMENT.—Subsection (b) of that

4 section is further amended in the matter preceding para5 graph (1) by striking ‘‘as provided in the succeeding sub6 sections of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘as otherwise pro7 vided in this section’’.

8 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) Except as provided in

9 paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section shall

10 take effect on October 1, 2000.

11 (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make the

12 determination required by subsection (g) of section 3015

13 of title 38, United States Code (as amended by subsection

14 (b) of this section), and such determination shall go into

15 effect, for fiscal year 2001.

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