II 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3504 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JULY 24, 2019 
Received 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for im-
provements to the specially adapted housing program 
and educational assistance programs of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ryan Kules Specially 
Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. PRIORITY IN AWARD OF SPECIALLY ADAPTED 
HOUSING GRANTS TO SERIOUSLY ILL VET-
ERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2101 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY FOR SERIOUSLY ILL VETERANS.—(1) 
In providing assistance under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to seriously ill veterans. 
‘‘(2) In this section, the term ‘seriously ill veteran’ 
shall have the meaning given such term by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF SERIOUSLY ILL VETERAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—By not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall— 
(A) determine the meaning of the term 
‘‘seriously ill veteran’’ for purposes of sub-
section (d) of section 2101 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a); and 
(B) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives the meaning of such term as so deter-
mined. 
(2) APPLICABILITY.—The definition of ‘‘seri-
ously ill veteran’’ as determined under paragraph (1) 
shall apply for purposes of such subsection (d) be-
ginning on the date that is 30 days after the date 
on which the Secretary submits to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives the definition of such term as so de-
termined. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2020, and 
apply with respect to assistance provided on or after that 
date. 
SEC. 3. INCREASE IN AMOUNTS OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. 
(a) INCREASE OF NUMBER OF GRANTS PER VET-
ERAN.—Section 2102(d)(3) of such title is amended by 
striking ‘‘three’’ and inserting ‘‘six’’. 
(b) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AU-
THORIZED TO BE APPROVED.—Section 2101(a)(4) of 
such title is amended by striking ‘‘30 applications’’ and 
inserting ‘‘120 applications’’. 
(c) INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE 
FOR ADAPTATION TO VETERAN’S RESIDENCE.—Section 
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2102(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘$12,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 
(d) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSIST-
ANCE
FOR ACQUISITION
OF HOUSING WITH SPECIAL 
FEATURES.—Section 2102(d)(1) of such title is amended 
by striking ‘‘$63,780’’ and inserting ‘‘$98,492’’. 
(e) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSIST-
ANCE FOR ADAPTATIONS TO VETERANS’ RESIDENCES.— 
Section 2102(d)(2) of such title is amended by striking 
‘‘$12,756’’ and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 
(f) EFFECTIVE
DATE
AND
APPLICATION.—The 
amendments made by this section shall take effect on Oc-
tober 1, 2020. The amendments made by subsections (c) 
and (d) shall apply with respect to individuals who have 
not received the maximum amount of assistance under 
section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, before such 
date. 
SEC. 4. PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF SPE-
CIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR 
CERTAIN VETERANS. 
Section 2102 of such title is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(f)(1) Notwithstanding the aggregate amounts spec-
ified in subsection (d), a covered veteran may apply for 
and receive an additional amount of assistance under sub-
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section (a) or (b) of section 2101 of this title in an amount 
that does not exceed half of the amount specified in sub-
section (d). 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, a covered veteran is a veteran 
who— 
‘‘(A) is described in section 2101(a)(2) of this 
title; 
‘‘(B) first receives assistance under this chapter 
on or after October 1, 2020; 
‘‘(C) as of the date of the veteran’s application 
for assistance under paragraph (1), most recently 
received assistance under this chapter more than 10 
years before such date; and 
‘‘(D) lives in a home that the Secretary deter-
mines does not have adaptations that are reasonably 
necessary because of the veteran’s disability.’’. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVEMENT TO WORK-STUDY ALLOWANCE PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCE.—Subsection (a) of 
section 3485 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Individuals’’ 
and inserting ‘‘In accordance with paragraph (4), in-
dividuals’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and 
(6) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively; and 
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(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(4)(A) The Secretary shall carry out this section by 
providing to educational institutions an annual amount for 
the institution to use in paying work-study allowance 
under paragraph (1) to individuals enrolled at the institu-
tion. 
‘‘(B) With respect to an educational institution that 
participated in the work-study program under this section 
during the academic year beginning August 1, 2018, the 
Secretary shall determine the annual amount to provide 
to the educational institution under subparagraph (A) as 
follows: 
‘‘(i) For the academic year beginning August 1, 
2020, the amount shall be the total amount the Sec-
retary paid under this section to individuals enrolled 
at such educational institution during the academic 
year beginning August 1, 2018. 
‘‘(ii) Except as provided by subparagraph 
(D)(ii), for each academic year beginning on or after 
August 1, 2021, the amount shall be the total 
amount the educational institution paid under this 
section for work-study allowance to individuals en-
rolled at such educational institution during the pre-
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vious academic year in which individuals participated 
in the work-study program. 
‘‘(C) With respect to an educational institution that 
did not participate in the work-study program under this 
section during the academic year beginning August 1, 
2018, the Secretary shall determine the annual amount 
to provide to the educational institution under subpara-
graph (A) as follows: 
‘‘(i) For the first academic year in which the 
educational institution participates in the work-study 
program beginning on or after August 1, 2020, the 
amount shall be an amount the Secretary determines 
appropriate based on amounts provided to similar 
educational institutions pursuant to subparagraph 
(B). 
‘‘(ii) Except as provided by subparagraph 
(D)(ii), for each academic year occurring after the 
academic year specified in clause (i), the amount 
shall be the total amount the educational institution 
paid under this section for work-study allowance to 
individuals enrolled at such educational institution 
during the previous academic year in which individ-
uals enrolled at such educational institution partici-
pated in the work-study program. 
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the Secretary provides the educational institution under 
subparagraph (B) or (C). 
‘‘(E) Pursuant to section 3690(c), section 3693, and 
other provisions of chapter 36 of this title, the Secretary 
shall ensure that educational institutions carry out the 
work-study allowance program in compliance with this sec-
tion.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (e)(1) 
of such section is amended by striking ‘‘subsection (a)(4)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(5)’’. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or 
term, as applicable, commencing on or after August 1, 
2020. 
SEC. 6. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR FRY SCHOLAR-
SHIP TO CHILDREN AND SPOUSES OF CER-
TAIN DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (b) of section 3311 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as para-
graph (12); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs (10) and (11): 
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‘‘(10) An individual who is the child or spouse 
of a person who, on or after September 11, 2001, 
dies in line of duty while serving on duty other than 
active duty as a member of the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(11) An individual who is the child or spouse 
of a member of the Selected Reserve who dies on or 
after September 11, 2001— 
‘‘(A) from a service-connected disability; 
and 
‘‘(B) not later than 4 years after the date 
of the last discharge or release of that member 
from active duty or active duty for training.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY DATE.—The amendments made 
by subsection (a) apply with respect to a quarter, semes-
ter, or term, as applicable, commencing on or after August 
1, 2020. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Subsection (f) of such section is amended 
by striking ‘‘paragraph (9)’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (9), (10), and (11)’’. 
(2) Section 3322 of such title is amended— 
(A) in subsection (e), by striking both 
‘‘sections 3311(b)(9) and 3319’’ and inserting 
‘‘section 3319 and paragraph (9), (10), or (11) 
of section 3311 of this title’’; 
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(B) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘section 
3311(b)(9)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (9), 
(10), or (11) of section 3311 of this title’’; and 
(C) in subsection (h)(2), by striking ‘‘ei-
ther section 3311(b)(9) or chapter 35’’ and in-
serting ‘‘either chapter 35 or paragraph (9), 
(10), or (11) of section 3311’’. 
SEC. 7. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PREPARATORY COURSES 
AS PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION FOR PUR-
POSES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE 
PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 33 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3315A 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certifi-
cation, or national tests 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An individual entitled to edu-
cational assistance under this chapter shall also be entitled 
to payment for a preparatory course for a licensing or cer-
tification test that is required or used to enter into, main-
tain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and 
identified vocation or profession. 
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‘‘(b) AMOUNT.—The amount of educational assist-
ance payable under this chapter for a course described in 
subsection (a) is the lesser of— 
‘‘(1) the fee charged for the course; or 
‘‘(2) the amount of entitlement available to the 
individual under this chapter at the time of payment 
for the course under this section. 
‘‘(c) CHARGE AGAINST ENTITLEMENT.—The number 
of months of entitlement charged an individual under this 
chapter for a course described in subsection (a) shall be 
pro-rated based on the actual amount of the fee charged 
for the course relative to the rate for 1 month payable— 
‘‘(1) for the academic year beginning on August 
1, 2020, $1,460; or 
‘‘(2) for an academic year beginning on any 
subsequent August 1, the amount for the previous 
academic year beginning on August 1 under this 
subsection, as increased by the percentage increase 
equal to the most recent percentage increase deter-
mined under section 3015(h).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 3315A the following new 
item: 
‘‘3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certification, or national tests.’’. 
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(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 3532(g) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or a pre-
paratory course described in section 3315B(a) of 
this title’’ after ‘‘or national test providing an oppor-
tunity for course credit at institutions of higher 
learning described in section 3501(a)(5) of this 
title’’; and 
(2) in paragraphs (2) and (3), by inserting ‘‘or 
preparatory course’’ after ‘‘test’’ everywhere it ap-
pears. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to months begin-
ning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 8. ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN FEES. 
Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking the loan fee table and inserting 
the 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 be-
fore October 1, 2027) 
2.30 
2.30 
NA 
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‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(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 sec-
tion 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10- 
down (closed on or after October 1, 2027, 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 sec-
tion 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10- 
down (closed on or after October 1, 2029) 
1.40 
1.40 
NA 
(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling 
with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan de-
scribed 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 de-
scribed in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 
January 1, 2020, and before October 1, 2027) 
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 de-
scribed in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 
October 1, 2027, 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 de-
scribed 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 pur-
chase 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 pur-
chase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 
(closed on or after January 1, 2020, and be-
fore October 1, 2027) 
1.65 
1.65 
NA 
(C)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to pur-
chase or construct a dwelling with 5-down 
(closed on or after October 1, 2027, and before 
October 1, 2029) 
1.50 
1.50 
NA 
(C)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to pur-
chase 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 pur-
chase 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 pur-
chase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 
(closed on or after January 1, 2020, and be-
fore October 1, 2027) 
1.40 
1.40 
NA 
(D)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to pur-
chase or construct a dwelling with 10-down 
(closed on or after October 1, 2027, and before 
October 1, 2029) 
1.25 
1.25 
NA 
(D)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to pur-
chase 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 
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