I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4818 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to codify the Military Spouse Career 

Advancement Account program conducted by the Department of Defense 

to assist spouses of members of the Armed Forces serving on active 

duty to pursue educational opportunities and career training, to ensure 

that such educational opportunities and training are available to all 

military spouses, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 9, 2014 

Mr. MURPHY of Florida (for himself and Mr. CRAMER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to codify the Military 

Spouse Career Advancement Account program conducted 

by the Department of Defense to assist spouses of members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty to 

pursue educational opportunities and career training, to 

ensure that such educational opportunities and training 

are available to all military spouses, 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 ‘‘Military Spouse Career 

3 Advancement Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. MILITARY SPOUSE CAREER ADVANCEMENT AC5 COUNT PROGRAM. 

6 (a) CODIFICATION OF MYCAA PROGRAM.—Sub7 section (a) of section 1784a of title 10, United States 

8 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 

9 paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(3)(A) As one of the programs established under 

11 this section to assist spouses of members of the armed 

12 forces, the Secretary shall continue to carry out the Mili13 tary Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) pro14 gram, under which an eligible spouse may receive up to 

15 the amount that the Secretary determines is equal to the 

16 average amount of in-state tuition at public four-year col17 leges and universities located in the State in which the 

18 spouse resides in tuition assistance for education and 

19 training courses and licensing and credentialing fees. 

20 ‘‘(B) Financial assistance provided under the MyCAA 

21 program shall be available to cover the costs of the fol22 lowing: 

23 ‘‘(i) State certifications for teachers, medical 

24 professionals, and other occupations requiring recog25 nized certifications. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) Licensing exams and related preparation 

2 courses. 

3 ‘‘(iii) Continuing education classes, including 

4 classes offered through professional associations. 

5 ‘‘(iv) Degree programs, including programs at 

6 four-year colleges and universities, leading to em7 ployment in portable careers. 

8 ‘‘(v) Secondary education completion courses, 

9 GED tests, and English as a Second Language 

10 (ESL) classes. 

11 ‘‘(C) Financial assistance provided under the MyCAA 

12 program may not be used to pay for computers, applica13 tion, graduation or membership fees, student activity 

14 cards, child care, parking, transportation, or medical serv15 ices. 

16 ‘‘(D) An eligible spouse must obtain an approved 

17 MyCAA Financial Assistance document before incurring 

18 the tuition fees for which payment under the program is 

19 sought. The MyCAA program does not provide reimburse20 ments of any kind to spouses for any reason. Once the 

21 eligible spouse obtains the MyCAA Financial Assistance 

22 document, the spouse must commence the education or 

23 training courses for which assistance is sought under the 

24 program while the member of the armed forces who is 

25 married to the spouse is serving on active duty.’’. 


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1 (b) GUARANTEE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING OP2 PORTUNITIES FOR MILITARY SPOUSES.—Subsection 

3 (a)(1) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘may estab4 lish’’ and inserting ‘‘shall establish’’. 

5 (c) ELIGIBLE MILITARY SPOUSES.—Subsection (b) 

6 of such section is amended— 

7 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Assistance’’; and 

8 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

9 paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense may not restrict par11 ticipation in the MyCAA program required by subsection 

12 (a)(3) to the spouses of members serving in particular 

13 grades. Instead, subject to the availability of funds for the 

14 MyCAA program, the Secretary shall make the MyCAA 

15 program available to all eligible spouses.’’. 

Æ 


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