I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5284 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize State approving agencies 
to carry out outreach activities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 3, 2019 
Mr. KHANNA (for himself, Mr. KIM, Mr. WALTZ, and Mr. COOK) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize State 
approving agencies to carry out outreach activities. 
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 ‘‘Veteran Outreach Un-
derstanding To Reach Every American Courageous Hero 
Act’’ or the ‘‘Vet OUTREACH Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5284.IH
H5284
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(1) State Approving Agencies (SAAs) play a 
critical role administering GI Bill benefits to vet-
erans. 
(2) SAAs ensure veterans can use their GI Bill 
benefits at quality education and job-training pro-
grams like apprenticeships. 
(3) The SAAs primary purpose is to review, 
evaluate, and approve education and training pro-
grams to ensure veterans have the highest quality 
education. 
(4) The VALOR Act (Public Law 115–89), 
makes it easier for employers to offer apprentice-
ships to veterans. 
(5) In 2015, SAAs across the country con-
ducted almost 50,000 outreached-related actions to 
ensure veterans were informed of the benefits they 
are entitled to receive. 
(6) SAAs are now left to rely on outreach prod-
ucts created before 2015 and can no longer travel to 
job fairs and employers to ensure veterans, edu-
cational institutions, and employers know about the 
potential benefits and opportunities of the GI Bill. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5284.IH
H5284
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF STATE APPROVING AGENCIES TO 
CARRY OUT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. 
Section 3673 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) A State approving agency may carry out 
outreach activities if it has properly conducted its 
enforcement and approval of education programs 
and funds are still available to do so. 
‘‘(2) A SAA shall be considered to have prop-
erly conducted its enforcement and approval of edu-
cation programs if it has met its Department of Vet-
erans Affairs cooperative agreement requirements 
relating to the oversight and approval of programs, 
and has completed a risk-based program review of 
any program determined to be of questionable qual-
ity or at risk by any Federal or State agency or any 
accrediting agency. 
‘‘(3) Outreach activities carried out under this 
subsection shall be carried out using amounts other-
wise authorized to be appropriated. No additional 
amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this subsection.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5284.IH
H5284
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS