I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6766 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to public 
institutions of higher education for the establishment of Veterans Re-
source Centers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 
Mr. PANETTA (for himself and Mr. BACON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make 
grants to public institutions of higher education for the 
establishment of Veterans Resource Centers, 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 Resource 
Center Act of 2018’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS AT 
PUBLIC 
INSTITUTIONS 
OF 
HIGHER 
EDU-
CATION. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall carry out a program under which the 
Secretary makes grants, on a competitive basis, to public 
institutions of higher education to enable such institutions 
to establish and maintain Veterans Resource Centers as 
described in subsection (d). 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a public institution of higher education 
shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an appli-
cation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) PRIORITY REGISTRATION.—As a condition of re-
ceiving a grant under this section, a public institution of 
higher education that offers priority course registration to 
any subgroup of students who are in a class year shall 
offer priority course registration to military-connected stu-
dents who are in such class year. 
(d) VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER.—A public insti-
tution of higher education that receives a grant under this 
section shall use the grant to establish, maintain, and pro-
vide services from a Veterans Resource Center on the 
grounds of the institution. Each Veterans Resource Center 
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shall be a dedicated space where military-connected stu-
dents can— 
(1) socialize with each other; 
(2) meet with relevant individuals and organiza-
tions, including representatives of the Armed Forces, 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Serv-
ice Organizations, and military student advocates; 
and 
(3) engage in such other activities as may ben-
efit the student, as determined by the institution. 
(e) GRANT DURATION AND AMOUNT.— 
(1) DURATION.—Each grant under this section 
shall be made for a period of 5 years. 
(2) AMOUNT.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall determine the maximum amount of each 
grant under this section. 
(f) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—A public institu-
tion of higher education shall use a grant received under 
this section only to supplement funds that would, in the 
absence of such grant, be made available from other Fed-
eral, State, or local sources for activities supported by the 
grant, not to supplant such funds. 
SEC. 3. PRIORITY RECRUITING AND ACCESS. 
To the extent determined to be appropriate by the 
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary shall ensure that cov-
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ered institutions receive priority access to military installa-
tions for purposes of recruiting students, including stu-
dents eligible for the Transition Assistance Program under 
section 1144 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Armed Forces’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 101(a) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered institution’’ means a 
public institution of higher education that— 
(A) has a Veterans Resource Center (as 
described in section 2(d)); and 
(B) offers priority course registration to 
military-connected students (as described in 
section 2(c)). 
(3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001(a)). 
(4) The term ‘‘military-connected student’’ 
means a student who is a member of the Armed 
Forces or a veteran. 
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(5) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United 
States Code. 
Æ 
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