I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4334
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the annual determina-
tion of the rate of the basic benefit of active duty educational assistance
under the Montgomery GI Bill, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 13, 2000
Mr. SHOWS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BALDACCI, and Mr. BISHOP) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the
annual determination of the rate of the basic benefit
of active duty educational assistance under the Mont-
gomery GI Bill, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Higher Edu-
cation Opportunities Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. ANNUAL DETERMINATION OF BASIC BENEFIT OF
ACTIVE 
DUTY 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE
UNDER THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL.
(a) BASIC BENEFIT.—Section 3015 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘of $528
(as increased from time to time under subsection
(g))’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to the average monthly
costs of tuition and expenses for commuter students
at public institutions of higher education that award
baccalaureate degrees (as determined under sub-
section (g))’’; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ‘‘of $429
(as increased from time to time under subsection
(g))’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to 75 percent of the aver-
age monthly costs of tuition and expenses for com-
muter students at public institutions of higher edu-
cation that award baccalaureate degrees (as deter-
mined under subsection (g))’’.
(b) 
DETERMINATION
OF
AVERAGE
MONTHLY
COSTS.—Subsection (g) of that section is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(g)(1) Not later than September 30 each year, the
Secretary shall determine the average monthly costs of tui-
tion and expenses for commuter students at public institu-
tions of higher education that award baccalaureate de-
grees for purposes of subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) for the
succeeding fiscal year. The Secretary shall determine such
costs utilizing information obtained from the College
Board or information provided annually by the College
Board in its annual survey of institutions of higher edu-
cation.
‘‘(2) In determining the costs of tuition and expenses
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into account
the following:
‘‘(A) Tuition and fees.
‘‘(B) The cost of books and supplies.
‘‘(C) The cost of board.
‘‘(D) Transportation costs.
‘‘(E) Other nonfixed educational expenses.
‘‘(3) A determination made under paragraph (1) in
a year shall take effect on October 1 of that year and
apply with respect to basic educational assistance allow-
ances payable under this section for the fiscal year begin-
ning in that year.
‘‘(4) Not later than September 30 each year, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register the average
monthly costs of tuition and expenses as determined under
paragraph (1) in that year.
‘‘(5) For purposes of this section, the term ‘institu-
tion of higher education’ has the meaning given that term
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).’’.
(c) STYLISTIC AMENDMENT.—Subsection (b) of that
section is further amended in the matter preceding para-
graph (1) by striking ‘‘as provided in the succeeding sub-
sections of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘as otherwise pro-
vided in this section’’.
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