I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5174 
To make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs relating to educational assistance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2016 
Mrs. RADEWAGEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To make certain improvements in the laws administered by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to educational 
assistance, 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 
Enhancement Act of 2016’’. 
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SEC. 2. CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT FOR CERTAIN LICEN-
SURE AND CERTIFICATION TESTS AND NA-
TIONAL TESTS UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION TESTS.—Sec-
tion 3315(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘shall be determined’’ and all that follows and 
inserting ‘‘shall be pro-rated based on the actual amount 
of the fee charged for the test’’. 
(b) NATIONAL TESTS.—Section 3315A of such title 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) A national test that evaluates prior learn-
ing and knowledge and provides an opportunity for 
course credit at an institution of higher learning as 
so described.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘shall be de-
termined’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘shall 
be pro-rated based on the actual amount of the fee 
charged for the test’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this Act shall apply to a test taken after the date that 
is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN 
RATES PAYABLE UNDER DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAMS. 
(a) ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE.—Section 3015(h)(2) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2014’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2025’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2013’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2024’’. 
(b) SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENTS.—Section 3564(b) 
of such title is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2014’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2025’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2013’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2024’’. 
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR VETERANS’ ADVI-
SORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. 
Section 3692(c) of such title is amended by striking 
‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2021’’. 
SEC. 5. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS. 
(a) TRAINING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with the State ap-
proving agencies, set forth requirements relating to train-
ing for school certifying officials employed by covered edu-
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cational institutions offering courses of education ap-
proved under chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code. 
If a covered educational institution does not ensure that 
a school certifying official employed by the educational in-
stitution meets such requirements, the Secretary may dis-
approve any course of education offered by such edu-
cational institution. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered educational institution’’ 
means an educational institution that has enrolled 
20 or more individuals using educational assistance 
under title 38, United States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘school certifying official’’ means 
an employee of an educational institution with pri-
mary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment 
at the educational institution. 
(3) The term ‘‘State approving agency’’ means 
a department or agency of a State designated under 
section 3671 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 6. REDUCTION OF AMOUNT OF HOUSING STIPEND 
PAYMENTS FOR REDUCTION OF COURSE 
HOURS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (i) of section 3313 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
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‘‘(i) DETERMINATION OF HOUSING STIPEND PAY-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any monthly housing sti-
pend payable under this section during the academic 
year beginning on August 1 of a calendar year shall 
be determined utilizing rates for basic allowances for 
housing payable under section 403 of title 37 in ef-
fect as of January 1 of such calendar year. 
‘‘(2) REDUCTION IN CASES OF DROPPED CLASS-
ES.—In the case of any individual who receives a 
monthly housing stipend payable under this section 
who reduces the number of course hours borne by 
the individual after the beginning of an academic pe-
riod, the Secretary shall reduce the amount of the 
monthly housing stipend payable to the individual 
accordingly on a pro rata basis. If the Secretary de-
termines that an individual received a monthly hous-
ing stipend at the beginning of a month and that the 
individual reduced the number of course hours borne 
by the individual such that the individual was not 
entitled to the full amount of the payment received 
for that month, the Secretary may reduce the 
amount payable to the individual for the subsequent 
month by an amount equal to the amount of the 
overpayment.’’. 
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(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to a month that 
begins on or after August 1, 2017. 
SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON USE OF REPORTING FEES PAYABLE 
TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND JOINT 
APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING COMMITTEES. 
Section 3684(c) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c)(1) The Secretary may pay to any educational in-
stitution, or to the sponsor of a program of apprenticeship, 
furnishing education or training under either this chapter 
or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title, a reporting fee which 
will be in lieu of any other compensation or reimbursement 
for reports or certifications which such educational institu-
tion or joint apprenticeship training committee is required 
to submit to the Secretary by law or regulation. 
‘‘(2) Such reporting fee shall be computed for each 
calendar year by multiplying $12 by the number of eligible 
veterans or eligible persons enrolled under this chapter or 
chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title, or $15 in the case of 
those eligible veterans and eligible persons whose edu-
cational assistance checks are directed in care of each in-
stitution for temporary custody and delivery and are deliv-
ered at the time of registration as provided under section 
3680(d)(4) of this title, during the calendar year. The re-
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porting fee shall be paid to such educational institution 
or joint apprenticeship training committee as soon as fea-
sible after the end of the calendar year for which it is 
applicable. 
‘‘(3) No reporting fee payable to an educational insti-
tution under this subsection shall be subject to offset by 
the Secretary against any liability of such institution for 
any overpayment for which such institution may be admin-
istratively determined to be liable under section 3685 of 
this title unless such liability is not contested by such in-
stitution or has been upheld by a final decree of a court 
of appropriate jurisdiction. 
‘‘(4) Any reporting fee paid to an educational institu-
tion or joint apprenticeship training committee after the 
date of the enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Edu-
cational Assistance Improvements Act of 2011 (Public 
Law 111–377)— 
‘‘(A) shall be utilized by such institution or 
committee solely for the making of certifications re-
quired under this chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 
of this title or for otherwise supporting programs for 
veterans; and 
‘‘(B) with respect to an institution that has 75 
or more enrollees described in paragraph (2), may 
not be used for or merged with amounts available 
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