I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6322 
To make certain improvements in the educational assistance benefits under 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the case 
of changes to courses of education by reason of emergency situations, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2020 
Mr. TAKANO (for himself, Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. CASTRO of 
Texas, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. NOR-
TON, Mr. RUSH, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. PETERS, Mr. 
SCHNEIDER, Mr. CROW, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. THOMPSON of 
California, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. ALLRED, Mrs. LEE of Nevada, 
Mr. PANETTA, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. GOLD-
EN, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Miss RICE of New 
York, and Mr. LEVIN of California) 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 deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To make certain improvements in the educational assistance 
benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs in the case of changes to courses 
of education by reason of emergency situations, 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 ‘‘Student Veteran 
Coronavirus Response Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. PAYMENT OF WORK-STUDY ALLOWANCES DURING 
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. 
Section 3485 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f)(1) In case of an individual who is in receipt of 
work-study allowance pursuant to an agreement described 
in subsection (a)(3) as of the date on which an emergency 
situation occurs and who is unable to continue to perform 
qualifying work-study activities described in subsection 
(a)(4) by reason of the emergency situation— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary may continue to pay work- 
study allowance under this section or make deduc-
tions described in subsection (e)(1) during the pe-
riod of such emergency situation, notwithstanding 
the inability of the individual to perform such work- 
study activities by reason of such emergency situa-
tion; and 
‘‘(B) at the option of the individual, the Sec-
retary shall extend the agreement described in sub-
section (a)(3) with the individual for any subsequent 
period of enrollment initiated during the emergency 
situation, notwithstanding the inability of the indi-
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vidual to perform work-study activities described in 
subsection (a)(4) by reason of such emergency situa-
tion. 
‘‘(2) The amount of work-study allowance payable to 
an individual under paragraph (1)(A) during the period 
of an emergency situation shall be an amount determined 
by the Secretary but may not exceed the amount that 
would be payable under subsection (a)(2) if the individual 
worked 25 hours per week paid during such period.’’. 
SEC. 3. PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES TO VETERANS EN-
ROLLED 
IN 
EDUCATIONAL 
INSTITUTIONS 
CLOSED FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. 
(a) TEMPORARY PROVISION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During the period beginning 
on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 21, 
2020, the Secretary may pay allowances to an eligi-
ble veteran or eligible person under section 
3680(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, if the 
veteran or person is enrolled in a program or course 
of education that— 
(A) is provided by an educational institu-
tion that is closed by reason of an emergency 
situation; or 
(B) is suspended by reason of an emer-
gency situation. 
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(2) AMOUNT OF ALLOWANCE.—The total num-
ber of weeks for which allowances may be paid under 
this section may not exceed four weeks. 
(3) NOT COUNTED FOR PURPOSES OF LIMITA-
TION.—Any amount paid under this section shall not 
be counted for purposes of the limitation on 
allowanced under section 3680(a)(2)(A) of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(b) PERMANENT PROVISION.—Section 3680(a)(2) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘12- 
month’’ and inserting ‘‘six-month’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or following’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘during periods following’’; and 
(B) 
by 
inserting 
after 
‘‘section 
3699(b)(1)(B) of this title,’’ the following: ‘‘, or 
during periods when a course of study or pro-
gram of education is temporarily closed or ter-
minated by reason of an emergency situation,’’. 
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SEC. 4. PROHIBITION OF CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT OF 
STUDENTS UNABLE TO PURSUE A PROGRAM 
OF EDUCATION DUE TO AN EMERGENCY SIT-
UATION. 
Section 3699(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end and inserting ‘‘or’’ ; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(C) the temporary closure of an edu-
cational institution or the temporary closure or 
termination of a course or program of education 
by reason of an emergency situation; and’’. 
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATIONS FOR USE OF EN-
TITLEMENT. 
(a) MONTGOMERY GI BILL.—Section 3031 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(i) In the case of an individual eligible for edu-
cational assistance under this chapter who is prevented 
from pursuing the individual’s chosen program of edu-
cation before the expiration of the 10-year period for the 
use of entitlement under this chapter otherwise applicable 
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under this section because the educational institution 
closed (temporarily or permanently) under an established 
policy based on an Executive order of the President or 
due to an emergency situation, such 10-year period— 
‘‘(1) shall not run during the period the indi-
vidual is so prevented from pursuing such program; 
and 
‘‘(2) shall again begin running on the first day 
after the individual is able to resume pursuit of a 
program of education with educational assistance 
under this chapter.’’. 
(b) POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3321(b)(1) of such 
title is amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘Sub-
sections’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and (d)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(d), and (i)’’; and by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) Subsection (i) of section 3031 shall apply 
with respect to the running of the 15-year period de-
scribed in paragraphs (4)(A) and (5)(A) of this sub-
section in the same manner as such subsection ap-
plies under section 3031 with respect to the running 
of the 10-year period described in section 3031(a).’’. 
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(2) TRANSFER PERIOD.—Section 3319(h)(5) is 
amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ‘‘or 
(C)’’ after ‘‘subparagraph (B)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS.—In any 
case in which the Secretary determines that an 
individual to whom entitlement is transferred 
under this section has been prevented from pur-
suing the individual’s chosen program of edu-
cation before the individual attains the age of 
26 years because the educational institution 
closed (temporarily or permanently) under an 
established policy based on an Executive order 
of the President or due to an emergency situa-
tion, the Secretary shall extend the period dur-
ing which the individual may use such entitle-
ment for a period equal to the number of 
months that the individual was so prevented 
from pursuing the program of education, as de-
termined by the Secretary.’’. 
(c) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND TRAINING.— 
(1) PERIOD FOR USE.—Section 3103 of such 
title is amended— 
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(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘or (e)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(e), or (g)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(g) In any case in which the Secretary determines 
that a veteran has been prevented from participating in 
a vocational rehabilitation program under this chapter 
within the twelve-year period of eligibility prescribed in 
subsection (a) by reason of an Executive order of the 
President or due to an emergency situation, such twelve- 
year period— 
‘‘(1) shall not run during the period the indi-
vidual is so prevented from participating such pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(2) shall again begin running on the first day 
after the individual is able to resume participation in 
such program.’’. 
(2) DURATION OF PROGRAM.—Section 3105(b) 
of such title is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘para-
graph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (2) and 
(3)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
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‘‘(3)(A) In any case in which the Secretary deter-
mines that a veteran has been prevented from partici-
pating in counseling and placement and postplacement 
services described in section 3104(a)(2) and (5) of this 
title by reason of an Executive order of the President or 
due to an emergency situation, the Secretary shall extend 
the period during which the Secretary may provide such 
counseling and placement and postplacement services for 
the veteran for a period equal to the number of months 
that the veteran was so prevented from participating in 
such counseling and services, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(B) In any case in which the Secretary determines 
that a veteran has been prevented from participating in 
a vocational rehabilitation program under this chapter by 
reason of an Executive order of the President or due to 
an emergency situation, the Secretary shall extend the pe-
riod of the veteran’s vocational rehabilitation program for 
a period equal to the number of months that the veteran 
was so prevented from participating in the vocational re-
habilitation program, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(d) EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE SELECTED RESERVE.—Section 16133(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
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