I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2692 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the time limitation 
for use of eligibility and entitlement to educational assistance under 
certain programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2017 
Mr. HIGGINS of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the 
time limitation for use of eligibility and entitlement to 
educational assistance under certain programs of the De-
partment 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, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Education 
Flexibility Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to the ‘‘National Survey of Vet-
erans, Active Duty Service Members, Demobilized 
National Guard and Reserve Members, Family 
Members, and Surviving Spouses Final Report’’, 
commissioned by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
in 2010, 20.6 percent of eligible veterans—approxi-
mately 2,621,753 veterans—were unable to use their 
GI bill educational benefits because their period of 
eligibility expired. 
(2) The time limitations for using GI bill edu-
cational benefits do not reflect the realities of the 
modern economy of the United States. After leaving 
the service, many veterans postpone further edu-
cation to join the workforce and support their fami-
lies or are faced with lengthy rehabilitations from 
service-related injuries. 
(3) Access to education and job retraining has 
proved the arbiter of success in today’s economy, 
and if the United States is to lower the unemploy-
ment rate among the veteran population, the United 
States must provide veterans unfettered access to 
educational benefits. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to remove 
the delimiting dates and retroactively restore the Depart-
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ment of Veterans Affairs Educational benefits within the 
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Pro-
gram (VEAP), Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty (MGIB– 
AD), and Post-9/11 GI Bill. 
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF TIME LIMITATION FOR USE OF 
ELIGIBILITY AND ENTITLEMENT TO EDU-
CATIONAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) MONTGOMERY GI BILL–ACTIVE DUTY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3031 of chapter 30 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘§ 3031. Extension of entitlement to educational as-
sistance expiring during a quarter or se-
mester or after a major portion of a 
course is complete 
‘‘(a) EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OPERATING ON 
QUARTER OR SEMESTER SYSTEM.—If an individual eligi-
ble for educational assistance under this chapter is en-
rolled under this chapter in an educational institution reg-
ularly operated on the quarter or semester system and the 
period of such individual’s entitlement under this chapter 
would, under section 3013, expire during a quarter or se-
mester, such period shall be extended to the end of such 
quarter or semester. 
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