I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3816 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans may attend 
pre-apprenticeship programs using certain educational assistance provided 
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2023 
Mr. JAMES (for himself and Mr. RYAN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that vet-
erans may attend pre-apprenticeship programs using cer-
tain educational assistance provided by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, 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’ Entry to 
Apprenticeship Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PROGRAMS OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3687 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3687A. Programs of pre-apprenticeship 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), and 
except as provided by subsection (c), the Secretary shall 
treat a pre-apprenticeship program as a program of ap-
prenticeship for purposes of providing educational assist-
ance. 
‘‘(b) APPROVAL
OF
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP
PRO-
GRAM.—A pre-apprenticeship program may be covered 
under subsection (a) in the case of a program for which 
a State does not require any such standards, if— 
‘‘(1) the curriculum of the program is approved 
by a sponsor and the sponsor certifies to the Sec-
retary that the program will prepare an individual 
with skills and competencies needed to enroll in a 
registered apprenticeship program; and 
‘‘(2) the program maintains conduct and at-
tendance policies in accordance with a sponsor. 
‘‘(c) BENEFITS.—The educational assistance received 
by a covered individual enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship 
program under subsection (a) shall be equal to the amount 
and kind of such assistance received by the individual if 
the individual were enrolled in a program of apprentice-
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ship, except that if the individual is not paid as part of 
such program, each monthly allowance for housing payable 
to the individual under chapter 33 of this title shall be 
an amount equal to the monthly amount of the basic al-
lowance for housing payable under section 403 of title 37 
for a member with dependents in pay grade E–5 residing 
in the military housing area that encompasses all or the 
majority portion of the ZIP Code area in which is located 
the pre-apprenticeship program. 
‘‘(d) CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT.—The entitlement 
of a covered individual pursuing a pre-apprenticeship pro-
gram under subsection (a) shall be charged at a rate equal 
to the rate charged if the program were a program of ap-
prenticeship. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered individual’ means an in-
dividual who is— 
‘‘(A) entitled to educational assistance; and 
‘‘(B) seeking to use such assistance for a 
program of apprenticeship. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘educational assistance’ means 
educational assistance provided under chapter 30, 
32, 33, 34, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 of 
title 10. 
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‘‘(3) The term ‘pre-apprenticeship program’ 
means a program or set of objectives— 
‘‘(A) designed to prepare individuals to 
enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship 
program; and 
‘‘(B) that has a documented partnership 
with at least one sponsor. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘registered apprenticeship pro-
gram’ means an apprenticeship program registered 
with the Office of Apprenticeship of the Employment 
Training Administration of the Department of 
Labor or a State apprenticeship agency recognized 
by the Office of Apprenticeship pursuant to the Act 
of August 16, 1937 (popularly known as the ‘Na-
tional Apprenticeship Act’; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
‘‘(5) The term ‘sponsor’, with respect to a pre- 
apprenticeship program, means an entity that for-
mally supports the pre-apprenticeship program, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) a registered apprenticeship program; 
‘‘(B) a department or agency of a State or 
local government; 
‘‘(C) an institution of higher learning; or 
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‘‘(D) any other public, private, or nonprofit 
entity that the Secretary determines to be a 
sponsor for purposes of this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 3687 the following new 
item: 
‘‘3687A. Programs of pre-apprenticeship.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 3687A of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
apply with respect to an individual who enrolls in a pro-
gram of pre-apprenticeship described in such section be-
ginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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