IIB 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1458 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2026 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria 
for approval of certain independent study programs for 
purposes of the educational assistance programs of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Education 
and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025’’ or the 
‘‘VETS Opportunity Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS POST-9/11 
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE: TIMING; MECHA-
NISM FOR INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A 
MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (f) of section 3327 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘together’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘before’’ and inserting 
‘‘not later than 60 days after’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE
FOR
AN
INDI-
VIDUAL NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MONTHLY HOUSING 
STIPEND.—In the case of an individual making an 
election under subsection (a) who is described by 
subparagraph (A), (C), or (E) of paragraph (1) of 
that subsection, and who is not eligible for a month-
ly stipend payable under section 3313(c) of this title, 
the educational assistance payable to the individual 
under this chapter shall be paid— 
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‘‘(A) in a lump sum calculated by multi-
plying— 
‘‘(i) the total amount of contributions 
described in paragraph (1)(A) with regards 
to such individual; and 
‘‘(ii) the sum of the number of 
months described in subclauses (I) and (II) 
of paragraph (1)(B)(i) with regards to 
such individual; and 
‘‘(B) to the individual not later than 60 
days after the exhaustion of the individual’s en-
titlement to educational assistance under this 
chapter.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
AND CONFORMING 
AMENDMENT.—Such subsection is further amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘paragraphs (2) through (7)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (2) through (6)’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (1), in the heading, by insert-
ing ‘‘FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBLE FOR A MONTHLY 
HOUSING
STIPEND’’ after ‘‘ADDITIONAL
ASSIST-
ANCE’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on August 1, 2026. 
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SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN INDEPENDENT STUDY 
PROGRAMS UNDER EDUCATIONAL ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3680A(a)(4)(A)(ii)(III) of 
such title is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘that requires regular and sub-
stantive interaction between students and instruc-
tors’’ after ‘‘course of study’’; 
(2) in item (aa), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and insert-
ing a semicolon; 
(3) in item (bb), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘; or’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end by following new item: 
‘‘(cc) an institution of high-
er education, as such term is de-
fined in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1002), that is approved to 
participate or participating in the 
student financial assistance pro-
grams authorized by title IV of 
that Act; and’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to a quarter, semester, 
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or term, as applicable, that begins on or after August 1, 
2026. 
SEC. 4. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CER-
TAIN SERVICE. 
(a) OPTIONS.—Section 3691A of such title is amend-
ed by striking paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1) A covered member may, after receiving orders 
to enter a period of covered service— 
‘‘(A) withdraw from covered education; 
‘‘(B) take a leave of absence from covered edu-
cation; or 
‘‘(C) subject to subsection (d), enter into an 
agreement with the institution concerned to complete 
a course of covered education to the satisfaction of 
such institution concerned.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Such subsection is 
further amended, in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘or 
takes a leave of absence’’ and inserting ‘‘, takes a leave 
of absence, or enters into an agreement’’. 
(c) AGREEMENT.—Such section is further amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
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(2) by inserting, after subsection (c), the fol-
lowing new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) 
AGREEMENT
WITH
INSTITUTION
CON-
CERNED.—A covered member may enter into an agree-
ment under subsection (a) only if the covered member has 
completed at least half of a course of covered education.’’. 
(d) SECTION HEADING.—Such section is further 
amended by striking the heading and inserting ‘‘Ab-
sence from certain education due to certain 
service’’. 
(e) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 36 of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 3691A and inserting 
the following new item: 
‘‘3691A. Absence from certain education due to certain service.’’. 
SEC. 5. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE 
SURVEYS. 
Section 3693 of such title is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘not more than 10 busi-
ness days of notice’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘this section.’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘this section—’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
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‘‘(1) in the case of an educational institution or 
training establishment with a time stamp database 
collection feature, not fewer than 10, and not more 
than 15, business days of notice; and 
‘‘(2) in the case of any other educational insti-
tution or training establishment, not more than 10 
business days of notice.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
following new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The terms ‘educational institution’ and 
‘training establishment’ have the meanings given 
such terms in section 3452 of this title. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘school certifying official’ means 
an employee of an educational institution with pri-
mary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment 
at the educational institution.’’. 
SEC. 6. NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS 
OF HANDBOOK UPDATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 business days 
after updating the school certifying official handbook of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall provide notice to all school certifying 
officials of such update. 
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(b) SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIAL DEFINED.—The 
term ‘‘school certifying official’’ means an employee of an 
educational institution with primary responsibility for cer-
tifying veteran enrollment at the educational institution. 
SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF 
PENSION. 
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘January 31, 2033’’ and inserting 
‘‘May 31, 2034’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 2, 
2026. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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