‘‘CHAPTER 80—VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND 
ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY PROFES-
SIONALS 
EDUCATION 
ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘8001. Establishment of scholarship program; purpose. 
‘‘8002. Application and acceptance. 
‘‘8003. Amount of assistance; duration. 
‘‘8004. Agreement. 
‘‘8005. Repayment for failure to satisfy requirements of agreement. 
‘‘§ 8001. Establishment of scholarship program; pur-
pose 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary shall establish and carry out 
a scholarship program to provide financial assistance in 
accordance with this chapter to an individual— 
‘‘(1) who is accepted for enrollment or currently 
enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree 
or certificate in visual impairment or orientation and 
mobility, or a dual degree or certification in both 
such areas, at an accredited (as determined by the 
Secretary) educational institution that is in a State; 
and 
‘‘(2) who enters into an agreement with the 
Secretary as described in section 8004 of this chap-
ter. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the scholarship pro-
gram established under this chapter is to increase the sup-
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ply of qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for the De-
partment and the Nation. 
‘‘(c) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall publicize the 
scholarship program established under this chapter to edu-
cational institutions throughout the United States, with 
an emphasis on disseminating information to such institu-
tions with high numbers of Hispanic students and to His-
torically Black Colleges and Universities. 
‘‘§ 8002. Application and acceptance 
‘‘(a) APPLICATION.—(1) To apply and participate in 
the scholarship program under this chapter, an individual 
shall submit to the Secretary an application for such par-
ticipation together with an agreement described in section 
8004 of this chapter under which the participant agrees 
to serve a period of obligated service in the Department 
as provided in the agreement in return for payment of 
educational assistance as provided in the agreement. 
‘‘(2) In distributing application forms and agreement 
forms to individuals desiring to participate in the scholar-
ship program, the Secretary shall include with such forms 
the following: 
‘‘(A) A fair summary of the rights and liabil-
ities of an individual whose application is approved 
(and whose agreement is accepted) by the Secretary. 
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‘‘(B) A full description of the terms and condi-
tions that apply to participation in the scholarship 
program and service in the Department. 
‘‘(b) APPROVAL.—(1) Upon the Secretary’s approval 
of an individual’s participation in the scholarship program, 
the Secretary shall, in writing, promptly notify the indi-
vidual of that acceptance. 
‘‘(2) An individual becomes a participant in the schol-
arship program upon such approval by the Secretary. 
‘‘§ 8003. Amount of assistance; duration 
‘‘(a) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—The amount of the 
financial assistance provided for an individual under this 
chapter shall be the amount determined by the Secretary 
as being necessary to pay the tuition and fees of the indi-
vidual. In the case of an individual enrolled in a program 
of study leading to a dual degree or certification in both 
the areas of study described in section 8001(a)(1) of this 
chapter, the tuition and fees shall not exceed the amounts 
necessary for the minimum number of credit hours to 
achieve such dual certification or degree. 
‘‘(b) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ASSISTANCE.—Fi-
nancial assistance may be provided to an individual under 
this chapter to supplement other educational assistance to 
the extent that the total amount of educational assistance 
received by the individual during an academic year does 
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not exceed the total tuition and fees for such academic 
year. 
‘‘(c) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—(1) In no 
case may the total amount of assistance provided under 
this chapter for an academic year to an individual who 
is a full-time student exceed $15,000. 
‘‘(2) In the case of an individual who is a part-time 
student, the total amount of assistance provided under 
this chapter shall bear the same ratio to the amount that 
would be paid under paragraph (1) if the participant were 
a full-time student in the program of study being pursued 
by the individual as the coursework carried by the indi-
vidual to full-time coursework in that program of study. 
‘‘(3) In no case may the total amount of assistance 
provided to an individual under this chapter exceed 
$45,000. 
‘‘(d) MAXIMUM DURATION
OF ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary may provide financial assistance to an individual 
under this chapter for not more than six years. 
‘‘§ 8004. Agreement 
‘‘An agreement between the Secretary and a partici-
pant in the scholarship program under this chapter shall 
be in writing, shall be signed by the participant, and shall 
include— 
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‘‘(1) the Secretary’s agreement to provide the 
participant with financial assistance as authorized 
under this chapter; 
‘‘(2) the participant’s agreement— 
‘‘(A) to accept such financial assistance; 
‘‘(B) to maintain enrollment and attend-
ance in the program of study described in sec-
tion 8001(a)(1) of this chapter; 
‘‘(C) while enrolled in such program, to 
maintain an acceptable level of academic stand-
ing (as determined by the educational institu-
tion offering such program under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary); and 
‘‘(D) after completion of the program, to 
serve as a full-time employee in the Department 
for a period of three years, to be served within 
the first six years after the participant has com-
pleted such program and received a degree or 
certificate described in section 8001(a)(1) of 
this chapter; and 
‘‘(3) any other terms and conditions that the 
Secretary determines appropriate for carrying out 
this chapter. 
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‘‘§ 8005. Repayment for failure to satisfy require-
ments of agreement 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An individual who receives edu-
cational assistance under this chapter shall repay to the 
Secretary an amount equal to the unearned portion of 
such assistance if the individual fails to satisfy the require-
ments of the agreement entered into under section 8004 
of this chapter, except in circumstances authorized by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT.—The Secretary shall 
establish, by regulations, procedures for determining the 
amount of the repayment required under this subsection 
and the circumstances under which an exception to the 
required repayment may be granted. 
‘‘(c) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION OF COMPLIANCE.— 
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations providing for the 
waiver or suspension of any obligation of an individual for 
service or payment under this chapter (or an agreement 
under this chapter) whenever noncompliance by the indi-
vidual is due to circumstances beyond the control of the 
individual or whenever the Secretary determines that the 
waiver or suspension of compliance is in the best interest 
of the United States. 
‘‘(d) OBLIGATION AS DEBT TO UNITED STATES.— 
An obligation to repay the Secretary under this section 
is, for all purposes, a debt owed the United States. A dis-
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charge in bankruptcy under title 11 does not discharge 
a person from such debt if the discharge order is entered 
less than five years after the date of the termination of 
the agreement or contract on which the debt is based.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The tables of chap-
ters at the beginning of title 38, and of part V of title 
38, are each amended by inserting after the item relating 
to chapter 79 the following new item: 
‘‘80. Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals 
Education Assistance Program ..................................... 8001.’’. 
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement 
chapter 80 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
section 1, not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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