I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5603 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish protections for a member 
of the Armed Forces who leaves a course of education, paid for with 
certain educational assistance, to perform certain service. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 15, 2021 
Ms. UNDERWOOD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish protec-
tions for a member of the Armed Forces who leaves 
a course of education, paid for with certain educational 
assistance, to perform certain service. 
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 ‘‘Protections for Stu-
dent Veterans Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:47 Oct 16, 2021
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5603.IH
H5603
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTIONS FOR A MEMBER 
OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO LEAVES A 
COURSE OF EDUCATION, PAID FOR WITH 
CERTAIN 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE, 
TO 
PERFORM CERTAIN SERVICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 36 of title 38, 
United States Code, amended by inserting after section 
3691 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3691A. Withdrawal or leave of absence from cer-
tain education 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) WITHDRAWAL OR LEAVE OF ABSENCE.—A 
covered member may, after receiving orders to enter 
a period of covered service, withdraw or take a leave 
of absence from covered education. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION ON ADVERSE ACTION.—The 
institution concerned may not take any adverse ac-
tion against a covered member on the basis that 
such covered member withdraws or takes a leave of 
absence under paragraph (1). Adverse actions in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(A) The assignment of a failing grade to 
a covered member for covered education. 
‘‘(B) The reduction of the grade point av-
erage of a covered member for covered edu-
cation. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:47 Oct 16, 2021
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5603.IH
H5603
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(C) The characterization of any absence 
of a covered member from covered education as 
unexcused. 
‘‘(D) The assessment of any financial pen-
alty against a covered member. 
‘‘(b) WITHDRAWAL.—If a covered member withdraws 
from covered education under subsection (a), the institu-
tion concerned shall refund all tuition and fees (including 
payments for housing) for the academic term from which 
the covered servicemember withdraws. 
‘‘(c) LEAVE
OF ABSENCE.—If a covered member 
takes a leave of absence from covered education under 
subsection (a), the institution concerned shall— 
‘‘(1) assign a grade of ‘incomplete’ (or equiva-
lent) to the covered member for covered education 
for the academic term from which the covered mem-
ber takes such leave of absence; and 
‘‘(2) to the extent practicable, permit the cov-
ered member, upon completion of the period covered 
service, to complete such academic term. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered education’ means a 
course of education— 
‘‘(A) at an institution of higher education; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:47 Oct 16, 2021
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5603.IH
H5603
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 3691 the following new 
item: 
‘‘3691A.Withdrawal or leave of absence from certain education.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:47 Oct 16, 2021
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5603.IH
H5603
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS