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 
‘‘Dependable Employment and Living Improvements for 
Veterans Economic Recovery Act’’ or the ‘‘DELIVER 
Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS 
Sec. 101. Flexibility for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in caring for home-
less veterans during a covered public health emergency. 
Sec. 102. Expansion of eligibility for HUD–VASH. 
Sec. 103. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for home-
lessness. 
Sec. 104. Gap analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs Programs that pro-
vide assistance to women veterans who are homeless. 
Sec. 105. Improvements to grants and agreements between the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and entities that provide services to homeless 
veterans. 
Sec. 106. Repeal of sunset on authority to carry out program of referral and 
counseling services for veterans at risk for homelessness who 
are transitioning from certain institutions. 
Sec. 107. Coordination of case management services for veterans receiving 
housing vouchers under Tribal HUD-VASH program. 
Sec. 108. Contracting for HUD-VASH case managers. 
Sec. 109. Report on HUD-VASH staffing, training, and data systems. 
TITLE II—RETRAINING ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS 
Sec. 201. COVID–19 Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program. 
Sec. 202. Access for the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs to the Fed-
eral directory of new hires. 
Sec. 203. Expansion of eligible class of providers of high technology programs 
of education for veterans. 
Sec. 204. Pilot program for off-base transition training for veterans and 
spouses. 
Sec. 205. Grants for provision of transition assistance to members of the 
Armed Forces after separation, retirement, or discharge. 
Sec. 206. One-year independent assessment of the effectiveness of Transition 
Assistance Program.
Sec. 207. Longitudinal study on changes to TAP. 
Sec. 208. Department of Veterans Affairs loan fees. 
TITLE I—ASSISTANCE FOR 
HOMELESS VETERANS 
SEC. 101. FLEXIBILITY FOR THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS IN CARING FOR HOMELESS VET-
ERANS DURING A COVERED PUBLIC HEALTH 
EMERGENCY. 
(a) GENERAL SUPPORT.— 
(1) USE OF FUNDS.—During a covered public 
health emergency, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may use amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
available to the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
carry out sections 2011, 2012, 2031, and 2061 of 
title 38, United States Code, to provide to homeless 
veterans and veterans participating in the program 
carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United 
States 
Housing 
Act 
of 
1937 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1437f(o)(19)) (commonly referred to as ‘‘HUD– 
VASH’’), as the Secretary determines is needed, the 
following: 
(A) Assistance required for safety and sur-
vival (such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets, 
and hygiene items). 
(B) Transportation required to support 
stability and health (such as for appointments
with service providers, conducting housing 
searches, and obtaining food and supplies). 
(C) Communications equipment and serv-
ices (such as tablets, smartphones, disposable 
phones, and related service plans) required to 
support stability and health (such as maintain-
ing contact with service providers, prospective 
landlords, and family). 
(D) Such other assistance as the Secretary 
determines is needed. 
(2) HOMELESS VETERANS ON LAND OF THE 
DEPARTMENT.— 
(A) COLLABORATION.—During a covered 
public health emergency, to the extent possible, 
the Secretary may collaborate with one or more 
organizations to manage use of land of the De-
partment for homeless veterans for living and 
sleeping. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—Collaboration under sub-
paragraph (A) may include the provision by ei-
ther the Secretary or the organization of food 
services and security for property, buildings, 
and other facilities owned or controlled by the 
Department. 
(b) GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM.—
(1) LIMITS
ON
RATES
FOR
PER
DIEM
PAY-
MENTS.—Section 20013(b) of the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 
116–136) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), as so redesignated, by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ be-
fore ‘‘In the case’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary waives any limit on grant 
amounts or rates for per diem payments under paragraph 
(1), notwithstanding section 2012(a)(2)(B) of such title, 
the maximum rate for per diem payments described in 
paragraph (1)(B) shall be three times the rate authorized 
for State homes for domiciliary care under section 1741 
of such title.’’. 
(2) USE OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS.—During a 
covered public health emergency, a recipient of a 
grant or an eligible entity under the grant and per 
diem program of the Department (in this subsection 
referred to as the ‘‘program’’) may use per diem 
payments under sections 2012 and 2061 of title 38, 
United States Code, to provide assistance required
for safety and survival (such as food, shelter, cloth-
ing, blankets, and hygiene items) for— 
(A) homeless veterans; and 
(B) formerly homeless veterans residing in 
a facility operated wholly or in part by such a 
recipient or eligible entity receiving per diem 
payments under section 2012 of such title. 
(3) ADDITIONAL TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—During a covered pub-
lic health emergency, under the program, the 
Secretary may provide amounts for additional 
transitional housing beds to facilitate access to 
housing and services provided to homeless vet-
erans. 
(B) NOTICE; COMPETITION; PERIOD
OF 
PERFORMANCE.—The Secretary may provide 
amounts under subparagraph (A)— 
(i) without notice or competition; and 
(ii) for a period of performance deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(4) INSPECTIONS AND LIFE SAFETY CODE RE-
QUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—During a covered pub-
lic health emergency, the Secretary may waive 
any requirement under subsection (b) or (c) of
section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, in 
order to allow the recipient of a grant or an eli-
gible entity under the program— 
(i) to quickly identify temporary alter-
nate sites of care for homeless veterans 
that are suitable for habitation; 
(ii) to facilitate social distancing or 
isolation needs; or 
(iii) to facilitate activation or continu-
ation of a program for which a grant has 
been awarded. 
(B) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may 
waive a requirement pursuant to the authority 
provided by subparagraph (A) with respect to a 
facility of a recipient of a grant or an eligible 
entity under the program only if the facility 
meets applicable local safety requirements, in-
cluding fire safety requirements. 
(c) INSPECTION AND LIFE SAFETY CODE REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR THERAPEUTIC HOUSING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—During a covered public 
health emergency, the Secretary may waive any in-
spection or life safety code requirement under sub-
section (c) of section 2032 of title 38, United States 
Code—
(A) to allow quick identification of tem-
porary alternate sites of care for homeless vet-
erans that are suitable for habitation; 
(B) to facilitate social distancing or isola-
tion needs; or 
(C) to facilitate the operation of housing 
under such section. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may waive a 
requirement pursuant to the authority provided by 
paragraph (1) with respect to a residence or facility 
referred to in such section 2032 only if the residence 
or facility, as the case may be, meets applicable local 
safety requirements, including fire safety require-
ments. 
(d) ACCESS TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS TELEHEALTH SERVICES.—To the extent prac-
ticable, during a covered public health emergency, the Sec-
retary shall ensure that veterans participating in or receiv-
ing services from a program under chapter 20 of title 38, 
United States Code, have access to telehealth services to 
which such veterans are eligible under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary, including by ensuring that tele-
health capabilities are available to— 
(1) such veterans;
(2) case managers of the Department of pro-
grams for homeless veterans authorized under such 
chapter; and 
(3) community-based service providers for 
homeless veterans receiving funds from the Depart-
ment through grants or contracts. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘covered public health emergency’’ means 
an emergency with respect to COVID–19 declared 
by a Federal, State, or local authority. 
(2) 
HOMELESS
VETERAN; 
VETERAN.—The 
terms ‘‘homeless veteran’’ and ‘‘veteran’’ have the 
meanings given those terms in section 2002 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(3) TELEHEALTH.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘telehealth’’ 
means the use of electronic information and 
telecommunications technologies to support and 
promote long-distance clinical health care, pa-
tient and professional health-related education, 
public health, and health administration. 
(B) TECHNOLOGIES.—For purposes of 
subparagraph (A), ‘‘telecommunications tech-
nologies’’ include video conferencing, the inter-
net, streaming media, and terrestrial and wire-
less communications. 
(f) EMERGENCY DESIGNATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—This section is designated as 
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) 
of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 
U.S.C. 933(g)). 
(2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate, 
this section is designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 
71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on 
the budget for fiscal year 2018. 
SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HUD–VASH. 
(a) HUD PROVISIONS.—Section 8(o)(19) of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(o)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) VETERAN DEFINED.—In this para-
graph, the term ‘veteran’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 2002(b) of title 38, United 
States Code.’’. 
(b) VHA CASE MANAGERS.—Subsection (b) of sec-
tion 2003 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ‘‘In the case of vouchers 
provided under the HUD–VASH program under section
8(o)(19) of such Act, for purposes of the preceding sen-
tence, the term ‘veteran’ shall have the meaning given 
such term in section 2002(b) of this title.’’. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not less frequently than 
once each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 
homelessness services provided under programs of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, including serv-
ices under the program carried out under section 
8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) (commonly referred to as 
‘‘HUD-VASH’’). 
(2) INCLUDED INFORMATION.—Each such an-
nual report shall include, with respect to the year 
preceding the submittal of the report— 
(A) a statement of the number of eligible 
individuals who were furnished such homeless-
ness services; 
(B) the number of individuals furnished 
such services under each such program, 
disaggregated by the number of men who re-
ceived such services and the number of women 
who received such services; and 
(C) such other information the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
SEC. 103. LEGAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND 
VETERANS AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—Subject to the availability of appro-
priations provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall make grants to eligible entities that 
provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans 
at risk for homelessness. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA.—(1) The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) establish criteria and requirements for 
grants under this section, including criteria for enti-
ties eligible to receive such grants; and 
‘‘(B) publish such criteria and requirements in 
the Federal Register. 
‘‘(2) In establishing criteria and requirements under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) take into consideration any criteria and 
requirements needed with respect to carrying out 
this section in rural communities, Tribal lands, and 
the territories and possessions of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(B) consult with organizations that have expe-
rience in providing services to homeless veterans, in-
cluding veterans service organizations, the Equal 
Justice Works AmeriCorps Veterans Legal Corps, 
and other organizations the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may make 
a grant under this section to an entity applying for such 
a grant only if the applicant for the grant— 
‘‘(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with 
the capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to ef-
fectively administer a grant under this section; 
‘‘(2) demonstrates that adequate financial sup-
port will be available to carry out the services for 
which the grant is sought consistent with the appli-
cation; 
‘‘(3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and 
requirements established under subsection (b)(1); 
and
‘‘(4) has, as determined by the Secretary, dem-
onstrated the capacity to meet such criteria and re-
quirements. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants under this section 
shall be used to provide homeless veterans and veterans 
at risk for homelessness the following legal services: 
‘‘(1) Legal services related to housing, including 
eviction defense, representation in landlord-tenant 
cases, and representation in foreclosure cases. 
‘‘(2) Legal services related to family law, in-
cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup-
port, divorce, estate planning, and family reconcili-
ation. 
‘‘(3) Legal services related to income support, 
including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 
‘‘(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, 
including defense in matters symptomatic of home-
lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 
driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and 
facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em-
ployment or housing. 
‘‘(5) Legal services related to requests to up-
grade the characterization of a discharge or dis-
missal of a former member of the Armed Forces 
under section 1553 of title 10.
‘‘(6) Such other legal services as the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
‘‘(e) FUNDS FOR WOMEN VETERANS.—For any fiscal 
year, not less than 10 percent of the amount authorized 
to be appropriated for grants under this section shall be 
used to provide legal services described in subsection (d) 
to women veterans. 
‘‘(f) LOCATIONS.—To the extent practicable, the Sec-
retary shall make grants under this section to eligible enti-
ties in a manner that is equitably distributed across the 
geographic regions of the United States, including with 
respect to— 
‘‘(1) rural communities; 
‘‘(2) Tribal lands; 
‘‘(3) Native Americans; and 
‘‘(4) Tribal organizations. 
‘‘(g) REPORTS.—On a biennial basis, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on 
grants under this section. To the extent feasible, each such 
report shall include the following with respect to the year 
covered by the report: 
‘‘(1) The number of homeless veterans and vet-
erans at risk for homelessness assisted.
‘‘(2) A description of the legal services pro-
vided. 
‘‘(3) A description of the legal matters ad-
dressed. 
‘‘(4) An analysis by the Secretary with respect 
to the operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness 
of the services provided.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2022 the following new 
item: 
‘‘2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homeless-
ness.’’. 
(c) CRITERIA.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall establish the criteria and requirements 
in the Federal Register pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of 
section 2022A of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a). 
SEC. 104. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOME-
LESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall complete an analysis of programs of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs that provide assistance to women vet-
erans who are homeless or precariously housed to identify 
the areas in which such programs are failing to meet the 
needs of such women. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the analysis completed under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 105. IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS 
BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS AND ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE SERV-
ICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) INCREASE IN PER DIEM PAYMENTS.—Subsection 
(a)(2)(B) of section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking clause (i) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) Except as provided in clause (ii) or (iii) and sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary 
shall determine the rate under this paragraph, which— 
‘‘(I) may not— 
‘‘(aa) be lower than the amount in effect 
under this clause as in effect immediately pre-
ceding the enactment of the Dependable Em-
ployment and Living Improvements for Vet-
erans Economic Recovery Act; or 
‘‘(bb) exceed the amount that is 115 per-
cent of the rate authorized for State homes for 
domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of 
section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may 
increase from time to time under subsection (c) 
of that section; and 
‘‘(II) may be determined on the basis of local-
ity.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) With respect to a homeless veteran who has 
care of a minor dependent while receiving services from 
the grant recipient or eligible entity, the daily cost of care 
shall be the sum of the daily cost of care determined under 
subparagraph (A) plus, for each such minor dependent, 
an amount that equals 50 percent of such daily cost of 
care.’’. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN FEES.—Such sec-
tion is further amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(e) REIMBURSEMENT OF ENTITIES FOR CERTAIN 
FEES.—The Secretary may reimburse the recipient of a 
grant under section 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2061 of this
title for fees charged to that grant recipient for the use 
of the homeless management information system described 
in section 402 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assist-
ance Act (Public Law 100–77; 42 U.S.C. 11630a)— 
‘‘(1) in amounts the Secretary determines to be 
reasonable; and 
‘‘(2) if the Secretary determines that the grant 
recipient is unable to obtain information contained 
in such system through other means and at no cost 
to the grant recipient.’’. 
SEC. 106. REPEAL OF SUNSET ON AUTHORITY TO CARRY 
OUT PROGRAM OF REFERRAL AND COUN-
SELING SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK 
FOR 
HOMELESSNESS 
WHO 
ARE 
TRANSITIONING 
FROM 
CERTAIN 
INSTITU-
TIONS. 
Section 2023 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (d).
SEC. 107. COORDINATION OF CASE MANAGEMENT SERV-
ICES FOR VETERANS RECEIVING HOUSING 
VOUCHERS UNDER TRIBAL HUD-VASH PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 2003 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(c) MOU ON IHS ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under which 
case managers of the Indian Health Service may provide 
case management assistance to veterans who receive hous-
ing vouchers under the Tribal HUD-VASH program of 
the Department of Housing and Urban Development.’’. 
SEC. 108. CONTRACTING FOR HUD-VASH CASE MANAGERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 304 of the Honoring 
America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Fami-
lies Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–154; 38 U.S.C. 2041 
note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’; 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs:
‘‘(2)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the 
director of a covered medical center shall seek to enter 
into a contract or agreement described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) A contract or agreement under subparagraph 
(A) may require that a case manager employed by an eligi-
ble entity have credentials equivalent to those of a case 
manager of the Department. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary may waive the requirement under 
subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that ful-
filling such requirement is infeasible. If the Secretary 
grants such a waiver, the Secretary shall submit, not later 
than 90 days after granting such waiver, to the Commit-
tees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives, a report containing— 
‘‘(i) an explanation of that determination; 
‘‘(ii) a plan to increase the number of case 
managers of the Department; and 
‘‘(iii) a plan for the covered medical center to 
increase use of such vouchers. 
‘‘(D) In this paragraph, the term ‘covered medical 
center’ means a medical center of the Department that 
the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(i) had more than 15 percent of all vouchers 
allocated to that medical center under the program 
described in paragraph (1) through the fiscal year
preceding such determination go unused due to a 
lack of case management services provided by the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) has a case manager position that has been 
vacant for at least nine consecutive months imme-
diately preceding the date of such determination.’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), 
by striking ‘‘, including because—’’ and insert-
ing a period; and 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (A), (B), 
and (C). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the first day of the first 
fiscal year to begin on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 109. REPORT ON HUD-VASH STAFFING, TRAINING, AND 
DATA SYSTEMS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and every three years thereafter, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report that includes the following:
(1) An assessment of the hiring needs of the 
program carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(o)(19)) (commonly referred to as ‘‘HUD- 
VASH’’), including— 
(A) identification of the number of HUD- 
VASH case managers as of the date of the re-
port including— 
(i) the total number of vacancies; and 
(ii) the vacancies at each medical cen-
ter of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
(B) the number of HUD-VASH case man-
agers that the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs 
and Housing and Urban Development deter-
mine necessary to meet the needs of the De-
partment and program; and 
(C) the amount of turnover among HUD- 
VASH case managers and whether the turnover 
was planned or unexpected. 
(2) An assessment of how compensation, includ-
ing recruitment and retention incentives, for HUD- 
VASH case managers affects turnover, and what 
percentage of retention compensation is provided to 
case managers at each medical center of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs (compared to other posi-
tions). 
(3) A comparison of compensation described in 
paragraph (2) with the compensation provided to 
State, local, and nongovernmental housing employees 
at comparable training and experience levels. 
(4) Examples of how the Departments have 
worked with non-Federal partners (such as local 
governments, nongovernmental organizations, vet-
erans service organizations, and employee unions) to 
meet the staffing needs of the HUD-VASH pro-
gram. 
(5) Examples of how medical centers of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs with high retention 
rates for HUD-VASH case managers have been able 
to maintain their staffing levels. 
TITLE II—RETRAINING 
ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS 
SEC. 201. COVID–19 VETERAN RAPID RETRAINING ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a program under which the Secretary shall 
provide up to 12 months of retraining assistance to an 
eligible veteran for the pursuit of a covered program of 
education. Such retraining assistance shall be in addition
to any other entitlement to educational assistance or bene-
fits for which a veteran is, or has been, eligible. 
(b) ELIGIBLE VETERANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this section, 
the term ‘‘eligible veteran’’ means a veteran who— 
(A) as of the date of the receipt by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs of the application 
for assistance under this section, is at least 22 
years of age but not more than 66 years of age; 
(B) as of such date, is unemployed by rea-
son of the covered public health emergency, as 
certified by the veteran; 
(C) as of such date, is not eligible to re-
ceive educational assistance under chapter 30, 
31, 32, 33, or 35 of title 38, United States 
Code, or chapter 1606 of title 10, United States 
Code; 
(D) is not enrolled in any Federal or State 
jobs program; 
(E) is not in receipt of compensation for a 
service-connected disability rated totally dis-
abling by reason of unemployability; and 
(F) will not be in receipt of unemployment 
compensation (as defined in section 85(b) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986), including any
cash benefit received pursuant to subtitle A of 
title II of division A of the CARES Act (Public 
Law 116–136), as of the first day on which the 
veteran would receive a housing stipend pay-
ment under this section. 
(2) TREATMENT OF VETERANS WHO TRANSFER 
ENTITLEMENT.—For purposes of paragraph (1)(C), 
a veteran who has transferred all of the veteran’s 
entitlement to educational assistance under section 
3319 of title 38, United States Code, shall be con-
sidered to be a veteran who is not eligible to receive 
educational assistance under chapter 33 of such 
title. 
(3) FAILURE TO COMPLETE.—A veteran who 
receives retraining assistance under this section to 
pursue a program of education and who fails to com-
plete the program of education shall not be eligible 
to receive additional assistance under this section. 
(c) COVERED PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this section, 
a covered program of education is a program of edu-
cation (as such term is defined in section 3452(b) of 
title 38, United States Code) for training, pursued 
on a full-time or part-time basis— 
(A) that—
(i) is approved under chapter 36 of 
such title; 
(ii) does not lead to a bachelors or 
graduate degree; and 
(iii) is designed to provide training for 
a high-demand occupation, as determined 
under paragraph (3); or 
(B) that is a high technology program of 
education offered by a qualified provider, under 
the meaning given such terms in section 116 of 
the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational 
Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–48; 38 
U.S.C. 3001 note). 
(2) ACCREDITED PROGRAMS.—In the case of an 
accredited program of education, the program of 
education shall not be considered a covered program 
of education under this section if the program has 
received a show cause order from the accreditor of 
the program during the five-year period preceding 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(3) DETERMINATION OF HIGH-DEMAND OCCU-
PATIONS.— 
(A) INITIAL
IMPLEMENTATION.—In car-
rying out this section, the Secretary shall use 
the list of high-demand occupations compiled by
the Commissioner of Labor Statistics until the 
final list under subparagraph (C) is complete. 
(B) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement 
with a federally funded research and develop-
ment corporation or another appropriate non- 
Department entity for the conduct of a study to 
determine which occupations are high-demand 
occupations. Such study shall be completed not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(C) FINAL LIST.—The Secretary— 
(i) may add or remove occupation 
from the list in use pursuant to subpara-
graph (A) during the 90-day period fol-
lowing the completion of the study required 
by subparagraph (B); 
(ii) shall issue a final list of high-de-
mand occupations for use under this sec-
tion by not later than 90 days after the 
date of the completion of the study; and 
(iii) shall make such final list publicly 
available on a website of the Department. 
(D) USE
OF
LIST.—The Secretary shall 
use the list developed under this paragraph in
order to apply the requirement that retraining 
assistance under this section is used for train-
ing for a high-demand occupation, but the Sec-
retary may remove occupations from the list as 
the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(4) FULL-TIME
DEFINED.—For purposes of 
this subsection, the term ‘‘full-time’’ has the mean-
ing given such term under section 3688 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(d) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) RETRAINING ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall provide to an eligible vet-
eran pursuing a covered program of education under 
the retraining assistance program under this section 
an amount equal to the amount of educational as-
sistance payable under section 3313(c)(1)(A) of title 
38, United States Code, for each month the veteran 
pursues the covered program of education. Such 
amount shall be payable directly to the educational 
institution offering the covered program of education 
pursued by the veteran as follows: 
(A) 50 percent of the total amount payable 
shall be paid when the eligible veteran begins 
the program of education.
(B) 25 percent of the total amount payable 
shall be paid when the eligible veteran com-
pletes the program of education. 
(C) 25 percent of the total amount payable 
shall be paid when the eligible veteran finds em-
ployment in a field related to the program of 
education. 
(2) FAILURE TO COMPLETE.— 
(A) PRO-RATED PAYMENTS.—In the case 
of a veteran who pursues a covered program of 
education under the retraining assistance pro-
gram under this section, but who does not com-
plete the program of education, the Secretary 
shall pay to the educational institution offering 
such program of education a pro-rated amount 
based on the number of months the veteran 
pursued the program of education in accordance 
with this paragraph. 
(B) PAYMENT
OTHERWISE
DUE
UPON 
COMPLETION
OF
PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall pay to the educational institution a pro- 
rated amount under paragraph (1)(B) when the 
veteran provides notice to the educational insti-
tution that the veteran no longer intends to 
pursue the program of education.
(C) NONRECOVERY
FROM
VETERAN.—In 
the case of a veteran referred to in subpara-
graph (A), the educational institution may not 
seek payment from the veteran for any amount 
that would have been payable under paragraph 
(1)(B) had the veteran completed the program 
of education. 
(D) PAYMENT DUE UPON EMPLOYMENT.— 
(i) VETERANS
WHO
FIND
EMPLOY-
MENT.—In the case of a veteran referred 
to in subparagraph (A) who finds employ-
ment in a field related to the program of 
education during the 180-day period begin-
ning on the date on which the veteran 
withdraws from the program of education, 
the Secretary shall pay to the educational 
institution a pro-rated amount under para-
graph (1)(C) when the veteran finds such 
employment. 
(ii) VETERANS WHO DO NOT FIND EM-
PLOYMENT.—In the case of a veteran re-
ferred to in subparagraph (A) who does 
not find employment in a field related to 
the program of education during the 180- 
day period beginning on the date on which