I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3056 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 
on the provision of outreach and support services to veterans pursuing 
higher education under the Post 9/11 Educational Assistance Program 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 2, 2013 
Mr. TAKANO (for himself and Ms. BROWNLEY of California) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a pilot program on the provision of outreach and support 
services to veterans pursuing higher education under the 
Post 9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
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 ‘‘Warriors’ Peer-Out-
reach Pilot Program Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON THE PROVISION OF OUTREACH 
AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO VETERANS PUR-
SUING 
HIGHER 
EDUCATION 
UNDER 
THE 
POST 9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall carry out a three-year pilot program to provide 
outreach and support services at institutions of higher 
learning (as that term is defined in section 3452(f) of title 
38, United States Code) that are designed to promote im-
proved higher-education outcomes and the successful use 
of needed services for veterans using their entitlement to 
educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United 
States Code, to pursue a program of education leading to 
a degree at the institution of higher learning. 
(b) SELECTION OF INSTITUTIONS.— 
(1) TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS.—The Secretary 
shall select three institutions of higher learning at 
which the Secretary shall carry out the pilot pro-
gram under this section, as follows: 
(A) One four-year public university. 
(B) One community college. 
(C) One private, not-for-profit college. 
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(2) OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible to 
participate in the pilot program under this section, 
an institution shall— 
(A) provide office space, the capability for 
veterans described in subsection (c)(1) to use 
information technology equipment, and appro-
priate information-technology support services 
for the individual who will provide peer-out-
reach and peer-support services at such institu-
tion; and 
(B) cooperate with the Secretary in pro-
viding such data as the Secretary may require 
to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot pro-
gram, as described in subsection (c)(3). 
(3) PRIORITY FOR SELECTION.—In selecting in-
stitutions of higher learning for purposes of the pilot 
program under this section, the Secretary shall give 
priority to— 
(A) institutions of higher learning with ex-
isting peer outreach programs for veteran stu-
dents; and 
(B) institutions of higher learning located 
in States with large student veteran popu-
lations, as determined by the Secretary. 
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(c) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the 
pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) Provide peer-outreach and peer-support 
services to veterans of Operation Enduring Free-
dom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New 
Dawn who are students at an institution where the 
Secretary carries out the pilot program, with par-
ticular emphasis on assisting individuals who may 
have, or may be having, difficulty in adjusting to 
such institution, or who may need services or sup-
ports that such institution is not equipped to pro-
vide, by employing veterans— 
(A) who— 
(i) are using their entitlement to edu-
cational assistance under chapter 33 of 
title 38, United States Code, to pursue a 
program of education leading to a degree 
at the institution of higher learning; or 
(ii) have used their entitlement to 
educational assistance under such chapter 
to complete a program of education and 
graduate from such an institution during 
the 18-month period preceding the date on 
which the veteran is hired to perform serv-
ices under the pilot program; and 
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(B) who have served on active duty in a 
theater of combat operations (with special con-
sideration given to veterans who have recovered 
or are recovering from a mental health condi-
tion). 
(2) Provide for training veterans employed as 
described in paragraph (1). 
(3) Develop requirements and measures for as-
sessing the impact and effectiveness of the services 
provided under the pilot program, including— 
(A) developing and disseminating an online 
survey instrument (designed to establish base-
line data, including data on need for services) 
to veterans attending the institutions of higher 
education described in paragraph (1) of this 
subsection; 
(B) developing and disseminating (not ear-
lier than 18 months after the start of the pilot 
program) a follow-up online survey instrument 
(designed to gather data, including data to as-
sess engagement with peer-support, experience 
accessing services, and adjustment to higher 
education) other on the possible impact of the 
program); and 
(C) tabulating— 
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(i) the number of veterans who meet 
on an individual basis with such peer; 
(ii) the number of referrals such indi-
vidual makes; and 
(iii) the outcome of such referrals. 
(d) DURATION.— The authority of the Secretary to 
provide services under the pilot program under this section 
shall terminate on the later of the following dates: 
(1) The date that is three years after the date 
of the commencement of the pilot program. 
(2) The date of the last day of the academic 
year that ends not more than 180 days after the 
date that is three years after the date of the com-
mencement of the pilot program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than nine months after the 
completion of the pilot program under this section, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the pilot program. The report shall include the 
following: 
(1) A description of the implementation and op-
eration of the program. 
(2) An evaluation of effectiveness of then peer- 
outreach services provided under the program in— 
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