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SEC. 202. ELIMINATION OF THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY 
FOR THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND 
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3103 of title 38, United 
States Code, is repealed. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 31 of such title is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 3103. 
SEC. 203. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE DURING EXTENDED 
SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO NATURAL DISAS-
TERS. 
Section 3680 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(h) SCHOOL CLOSURE DURING NATURAL DISAS-
TERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An individual described in 
paragraph (2) shall be entitled to a monthly stipend 
in the amount to which the individual would be enti-
tled were the individual pursuing a course of edu-
cation at an institution of higher education through 
resident training but for a school closure described 
under paragraph (4). 
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUAL
DESCRIBED.—An individual 
described in this paragraph is an individual pursuing 
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a course of education at an institution of higher edu-
cation using educational assistance under chapter 
32, 33, 34, or 35 of this title, who— 
‘‘(A) is forced to discontinue pursuing such 
course at such institution by reason of a school 
closure described under paragraph (4); and 
‘‘(B) opts to— 
‘‘(i) pursue that course of education 
solely by distance learning; or 
‘‘(ii) pursue an alternative course of 
education solely by distance learning. 
‘‘(3) DURATION.—The duration of the monthly 
stipends payable to an individual under paragraph 
(1) shall be the shorter of the following: 
‘‘(A) The period of time necessary to com-
plete the quarter, semester, term or academic 
period during which the school closure described 
in paragraph (4) occurs. 
‘‘(B) Four months. 
‘‘(4) SCHOOL CLOSURE.—A school closure de-
scribed in this paragraph is the closure of an institu-
tion of higher education— 
‘‘(A) by reason of a natural disaster; 
‘‘(B) for a period of time that— 
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‘‘(i) the institution confirms will last 
for four weeks or longer; or 
‘‘(ii) the institution describes as in-
definite and that endures for a period of 
four weeks or longer; and 
‘‘(C) that the Secretary confirms is covered 
for purposes of this subsection. 
‘‘(5) NATURAL
DISASTER
DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘natural disaster’ means a spe-
cific weather event or earth process, including a hur-
ricane, tornado, wildfire or forest fire, earthquake, 
avalanche, mudslide, hailstorm, thunderstorm, light-
ning storm, freeze, blizzard, sinkhole, or other disas-
trous event that occurs as a result of such an event 
or process, that the President or the governor of a 
State declares a natural disaster. 
‘‘(6) NO
CHARGE
TO
ENTITLEMENT.—No 
charge shall be made to the entitlement of any indi-
vidual to educational assistance under chapter 32, 
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33, 34, or 35 of this title by reason of a payment 
under this subsection.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 24, 2018. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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