I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4085 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2019 
Mr. BILIRAKIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements in the educational assistance programs of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Student Veteran Em-
powerment Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT TO EDUCATIONAL AS-
SISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT 
TRANSFER CREDITS FROM CERTAIN DIS-
APPROVED PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 3699 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) PERIOD NOT CHARGED.—(1) The period for 
which, by reason of this subsection, educational assistance 
is not charged against entitlement or counted toward the 
applicable aggregate period under section 3695 of this title 
shall not exceed the aggregate of— 
‘‘(A) the portion of the period of enrollment in 
the course from which the individual did not receive 
credit or with respect to which the individual lost 
training time, as determined under subsection 
(b)(2); and 
‘‘(B) the period by which a monthly stipend is 
extended under section 3680(a)(2)(B) of this title. 
‘‘(2)(A) An individual described in paragraph (2) who 
transfers fewer than 12 credits from a program of edu-
cation that is disapproved as described in subsection 
(b)(1)(B) shall be deemed to be an individual who did not 
receive such credits, as described in subsection (b)(2), ex-
cept that the period for which such individual’s entitle-
ment is not charged shall be the entire period of the indi-
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vidual’s enrollment in the program of education. In car-
rying out this subparagraph, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Education, shall establish procedures 
to determine whether the individual transferred credits to 
a comparable course or program of education. 
‘‘(B) An individual described in this paragraph is an 
individual who is enrolled in a course or program of edu-
cation discontinued as described in subsection (b)(1)(B) 
during the period beginning on the date that is 120 days 
before the date of such discontinuance and ending on the 
date of such discontinuance.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF 
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES 
OF THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3675(b) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(4) The educational institution is approved 
and participates in a program under title IV of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et 
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seq.) or the Secretary has waived the requirement 
under this paragraph with respect to an educational 
institution and submits to the Committees on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives notice of such waiver for each calendar 
quarter for which such waiver applies. 
‘‘(5) The educational institution has agreed to 
abide by the Principles of Excellence under Execu-
tive Order 13607, as in effect on the date of the en-
actment of this paragraph, or the Secretary has 
waived the requirement under this paragraph with 
respect to an educational institution and submits to 
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and House of Representatives notice of such waiver 
for each calendar quarter for which such waiver ap-
plies.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 
4. 
OVERSIGHT 
OF 
EDUCATIONAL 
INSTITUTIONS 
PLACED ON HEIGHTENED CASH MONITORING 
STATUS BY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3673 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
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‘‘(e) NOTICE OF CASH MONITORING STATUS.—(1) If 
the Secretary receives notice under paragraph (2) with re-
spect to an educational institution, the Secretary shall pro-
vide such notice to the State approving agency for the 
State where the educational institution is located by not 
later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary 
receives such notice. Not later than 60 days after receiving 
such notice, the State approving agency shall perform a 
risk-based oversight visit to the educational institution. 
‘‘(2) Notice under this paragraph is any of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Notice from the Secretary of Education 
that pursuant to section 487(c)(1)(B) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094) an edu-
cational institution is receiving payments under the 
heightened cash monitoring payment method. 
‘‘(B) Notice that the Attorney General, the 
Federal Trade Commission, or any other Federal de-
partment or agency has taken legal action against 
an educational institution relating to misleading 
marketing status or misconduct, as defined by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(3) If a State approving agency disapproves or sus-
pends an educational institution, the State approving 
agency shall provide notice of such disapproval or suspen-
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sion to the Secretary and to the other State approving 
agencies. Upon receipt of notice relating to an educational 
institution under this paragraph, a State approving agen-
cy shall perform a risk-based oversight visit to the edu-
cational institution. 
‘‘(4) This subsection shall be carried out using 
amounts made available pursuant to section 3674(a)(4) 
of this title as long as such amounts remain available.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT FOR PURPOSES OF 
RECEIPT OF POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSIST-
ANCE BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3313 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(l) VERIFICATION
OF ENROLLMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall require each individual who is enrolled in a 
course or program of education and is receiving edu-
cational assistance under this chapter to submit to the 
Secretary verification of such enrollment for each month 
during which the individual is so enrolled and receiving 
such educational assistance. Verification under this sub-
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section shall be in an electronic form prescribed by the 
Secretary.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on August 1, 2020. 
Æ 
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