IB
Union Calendar No. 18
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 801
[Report No. 107–27]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs of educational
assistance, to expand programs of transition assistance and outreach
to departing servicemembers, veterans, and dependents, to increase burial
benefits, to provide for family coverage under Servicemembers’ Group
Life Insurance, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 28, 2001
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. HAYWORTH, and Mr.
REYES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs
MARCH 26, 2001
Additional sponsors: Mr. STUMP, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BUYER, Mr. SIMPSON,
Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. HANSEN, Mr.
SPENCE, Mr. FILNER, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. EHRLICH, Mrs. ROUKEMA,
Mr. GOODE, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. BALDACCI, Ms. CARSON of Indi-
ana, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. TERRY, Mr. SNYDER, Mr.
GUTIERREZ, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. EDWARDS, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. HONDA, Mr.
DOYLE, Ms. WATERS, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. OWENS, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr.
PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. UDALL of
New Mexico, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. BERRY, and Mrs.
MCCARTHY of New York
MARCH 26, 2001
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 28, 2001]
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs
of educational assistance, to expand programs of transi-
tion 
assistance 
and 
outreach 
to 
departing
servicemembers, veterans, and dependents, to increase
burial benefits, to provide for family coverage under
Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vet-
erans Opportunities Act of 2001’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code.
TITLE I—EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVISIONS
Sec. 101. Increase in maximum allowable annual Senior ROTC educational as-
sistance for eligibility for benefits under the Montgomery GI
Bill.
Sec. 102. Expansion of work-study opportunities.
Sec. 103. Inclusion of certain private technology entities in the definition of edu-
cational institution.
Sec. 104. Expansion of special restorative training benefit to certain disabled
spouses or surviving spouses.
Sec. 105. Distance education.
Sec. 106. Technical amendments to the Montgomery GI Bill.
TITLE II—TRANSITION AND OUTREACH PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. Authority to establish overseas veterans assistance offices to expand
transition assistance.
Sec. 202. Timing of preseparation counseling.
Sec. 203. Improvement in education and training outreach services for separating
servicemembers and veterans.
Sec. 204. Expansion of outreach efforts to eligible dependents.
Sec. 205. Improvement of veterans outreach programs.
TITLE III—MEMORIAL AFFAIRS, INSURANCE, AND OTHER
PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Increase in burial benefits.
Sec. 302. Family coverage under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance.
Sec. 303. Retroactive applicability of increase in maximum SGLI benefit for
members dying in performance of duty on or after October 1,
2000.
Sec. 304. Increase in amount of assistance for automobile and adaptive equip-
ment for certain disabled veterans.
Sec. 305. Increase in assistance amount for specially adapted housing.
Sec. 306. Revision of rules with respect to net worth limitation for eligibility for
pensions for veterans who are permanently and totally disabled
from a non-service-connected disability.
Sec. 307. Technical amendments.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of
an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision,
the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or
other provision of title 38, United States Code.
TITLE I—EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE PROVISIONS
SEC. 101. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE ANNUAL
SENIOR 
ROTC 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE
FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS UNDER THE
MONTGOMERY GI BILL.
(a) 
IN
GENERAL.—Sections 
3011(c)(3)(B) 
and
3012(d)(3)(B) are each amended by striking ‘‘$2,000’’ and
inserting ‘‘$3,400’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment
of this Act and shall apply with respect to educational as-
sistance allowances paid under chapter 30 of title 38,
United States Code, for months beginning after such date.
SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF WORK-STUDY OPPORTUNITIES.
(a) ASSISTING IN OUTREACH SERVICES.—The second
sentence of section 3485(a)(1) is amended in clause (A) by
inserting before the comma the following: ‘‘or outreach serv-
ices to servicemembers and veterans furnished by employees
of State approving agencies’’.
(b) WORKING
IN MAJOR ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE.—
Such sentence is further amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘or (E)’’ and inserting ‘‘(E)’’;
and
(2) by inserting before the period the following:
‘‘, or (F) in the case of an individual who has de-
clared a major academic discipline, activities within
the department of that academic discipline approved
by the Secretary that complement and reinforce the
program of education pursued by that individual’’.
(c) WORKING IN STATE VETERANS HOME.—Such sen-
tence is amended in clause (C) by inserting after the comma
‘‘including the provision of such care to veterans in a State
home for which payment is made under section 1741 of this
title,’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this
section shall apply with respect to agreements entered into
under section 3485 of title 38, United States Code, on or
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 103. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN PRIVATE TECHNOLOGY
ENTITIES 
IN 
THE 
DEFINITION 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL INSTITUTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Sections 3452(c) and 3501(a)(6)
are each amended by adding at the end the following new
sentence: ‘‘Such term also includes any private entity (that
meets such requirements as the Secretary may establish)
that offers, either directly or under an agreement with an-
other entity (that meets such requirements), a course or
courses to fulfill requirements for the attainment of a license
or certificate generally recognized as necessary to obtain,
maintain, or advance in employment in a profession or vo-
cation in a technological occupation (as determined by the
Secretary).’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to enrollments in courses occurring
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 104. EXPANSION OF SPECIAL RESTORATIVE TRAINING
BENEFIT TO CERTAIN DISABLED SPOUSES OR
SURVIVING SPOUSES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3540 is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
paragraphs (A), (B), and (D) of section 3501(a)(1) of this
title’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Section 3541(a)
is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by strik-
ing ‘‘of the parent or guardian’’.
(2) Section 3542(a) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘the parent or guardian shall be
entitled to receive on behalf of such person’’ and in-
serting ‘‘the eligible person shall be entitled to re-
ceive’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘upon election by the parent or
guardian of the eligible person’’ and inserting ‘‘upon
election by the eligible person’’.
tainment offered by an institution of higher learn-
ing’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to enrollments in independent study
courses beginning on or after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 106. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO THE MONTGOMERY
GI BILL.
(a) CLARIFICATION
OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT
FOR MGIB BENEFITS.—
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—Clause 
(i) 
of 
section
3011(a)(1)(A) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(i) who (I) in the case of an indi-
vidual whose obligated period of active duty
is three years or more, serves at least three
years of continuous active duty in the
Armed Forces, or (II) in the case of an in-
dividual whose obligated period of active
duty is less than three years, serves at least
two years of continuous active duty in the
Armed Forces; or’’.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
paragraph (1) shall take effect as if included in the
enactment of the Veterans Benefits and Health Care
Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–419).
(b) ENTITLEMENT CHARGE FOR OFF-DUTY TRAINING
AND EDUCATION.—
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—Section 
3014(b)(2) 
is
amended—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking
‘‘(without regard to’’ and all that follows through
‘‘subsection’’; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
‘‘(C) The number of months of entitlement charged
under this chapter in the case of an individual who has
been paid a basic educational assistance allowance under
this subsection shall be equal to the number (including any
fraction) determined by dividing the total amount of such
educational assistance allowance paid the individual by the
full-time monthly institutional rate of educational assist-
ance which such individual would otherwise be paid under
subsection (a)(1), (b)(1), (c)(1), or (e)(1) of section 3015 of
this title, as the case may be.’’.
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section
3015 is amended—
(i) in subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1), by in-
serting ‘‘subsection (g)’’ after ‘‘from time to time
under’’;
(ii) by striking the first subsection (g), as
inserted by section 1602(b)(3)(C) of the Floyd D.
Spence National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2001 (enacted by Public Law 106–
398; 114 Stat. 1654A–359); and
(iii) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub-
section (g).
(B) Section 3032(b) is amended by inserting be-
fore the period at the end the following: ‘‘, or (3) the
amount of the charges of the educational institution
elected by the individual under section 3014(b)(1) of
this title’’.
(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made
by this subsection shall take effect as if enacted on No-
vember 1, 2000.
(c) INCREMENTAL MGIB INCREASES FOR CONTRIB-
UTING ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3011(e), as added by
section 105(a)(1) of the Veterans Benefits and Health
Care Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–419;
114 Stat. 1828), is amended—
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘, but
not more frequently than monthly’’ before the pe-
riod;
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$4’’ and
inserting ‘‘$20’’; and
(C) in paragraph (4)—
(i) by striking ‘‘Secretary. The’’ and
inserting ‘‘Secretary of the military depart-
ment concerned. That’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘by the Secretary’’.
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section
3012(f), as added by section 105(a)(2) of such Act, is
amended—
(i) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘, but
not more frequently than monthly’’ before the pe-
riod;
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$4’’ and
inserting ‘‘$20’’; and
(iii) in paragraph (4)—
(I) by striking ‘‘Secretary. The’’ and
inserting ‘‘Secretary of the military depart-
ment concerned. That’’; and
(II) by striking ‘‘by the Secretary’’.
(B) Section 3015(g), as added by section
105(b)(3) of such Act, is amended—
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by inserting ‘‘effective as of the first day of the
enrollment period following receipt of such con-
tribution by the Secretary concerned,’’ after ‘‘by
section 3011(e) or 3012(f) of this title,’’; and
(ii) in paragraph (1)—
(I) by striking ‘‘$1’’ and inserting
‘‘$5’’;
(II) by striking ‘‘$4’’ and inserting
‘‘$20’’; and
(III) by inserting ‘‘of this title’’ after
‘‘section 3011(e) or 3012(f)’’.
(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made
by this subsection shall take effect as if included in
the enactment of section 105 of the Veterans Benefits
and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 (Public
Law 106–419; 114 Stat. 1828).
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT
FOR DEATH BEN-
EFIT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) of section
3017(b) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(1) the sum of (A) the total amount reduced
from the individual’s basic pay under section 3011(b),
3012(c), or 3018(c) of this title, and (B) the total
amount of any contributions made by the individual
under section 3011(e) or 3012(f) of this title, less’’.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
paragraph (1) shall take effect on May 1, 2001.
(e) CLARIFICATION OF TIME PERIOD FOR ELECTION
OF BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 35 ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPEND-
ENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—(A) Section 3512(a)(3)(B), as
amended by section 112 of the Veterans Benefits and
Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law
106–419; 114 Stat. 1831), is amended to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(B) the eligible person elects that begin-
ning date by not later than the end of the 60-
day period beginning on the date on which the
Secretary provides written notice to that person
of that person’s opportunity to make such elec-
tion, such notice including a statement of the
deadline for the election imposed under this sub-
paragraph; and’’.
(B) Section 3512(a)(3)(C), as so amended by
such section, is amended by striking ‘‘between the
dates described in’’ and inserting ‘‘the date deter-
mined pursuant to’’.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made
by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if enacted on No-
vember 1, 2000.