‘‘(5) provide academic counseling and transition 
assistance, including— 
‘‘(A) discussing course work, academic 
goals, degree progress, workload, and other rel-
evant topics; and 
‘‘(B) providing guidance on— 
‘‘(i) selecting courses; 
‘‘(ii) seeking— 
‘‘(I) 
additional 
financial 
re-
sources; 
‘‘(II) student support services; 
‘‘(III) tutoring; and 
‘‘(IV) job placement counseling; 
and 
‘‘(iii) understanding benefits provided 
by the Department and the requirements 
for receiving educational assistance pro-
vided by the Department; and 
‘‘(6) carry out relevant outreach activities. 
‘‘(c) LOCATION
OF
COUNSELORS.—(1) An edu-
cational counselor may be located— 
‘‘(A) on the campus or facility of an institution 
that elects to allow such counselor to be located at 
the institution; or 
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‘‘(B) at a facility of the Department, including 
a Vet Center established under section 1712A of this 
title or a mobile Vet Center. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that an educational 
counselor is able to provide counseling to covered students 
through the use of interactive technology, including video 
conferencing using common Internet applications. 
‘‘(d) PREFERENCE.—In hiring educational counselors 
under this section, the Secretary shall apply the principles 
of preference for the hiring of veterans established in sub-
chapter I of chapter 33 of title 5. 
‘‘(e) PERIODIC COUNSELING SESSIONS.—(1) Except 
as provided by paragraph (3), each covered student as-
signed an educational counselor under this section shall 
attend at least one counseling session per quarter, semes-
ter, or term, as the case may be, with such counselor. 
‘‘(2) Except as provided by paragraph (3), an edu-
cational counselor shall notify the Secretary and the rel-
evant institution of any covered student who does not at-
tend a counseling session under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary may waive the periodic coun-
seling sessions under paragraph (1) for a covered student 
if the Secretary determines that such sessions would place 
an undue hardship on the student. 
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‘‘(B) Paragraph (1) and (2) shall not apply to a cov-
ered student who declines to receive educational coun-
seling under this section pursuant to subsection (a)(4)(A). 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives an annual report on the edu-
cational counseling provided under this section, including 
the following information listed by each institution: 
‘‘(1) The number of covered students who re-
ceived such counseling during the year covered by 
the report. 
‘‘(2) The number of covered students who de-
clined such counseling under subsection (a)(4) dur-
ing such year. 
‘‘(3) The number of covered students issued a 
waiver under subsection (e)(3) during such year. 
‘‘(4) For each quarter, semester, or term of the 
institution covered by the report, the number of fail-
ing grades earned by covered students receiving such 
counseling. 
‘‘(5) The graduation rate of covered students 
who received such counseling as compared to the 
overall graduation rate of students during such year. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) The term ‘covered student’ means an indi-
vidual pursuing an approved program of education 
using educational assistance under chapter 30, 32, 
33, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 or 1607 of 
title 10. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘educational counselor’ means an 
employee of the Department who provides edu-
cational counseling under this section. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘institution’ means an institution 
that offers an approved program of education. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘approved program of education’ 
means a program of education that may be pursued 
using educational assistance under chapter 30, 32, 
33, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 or 1607 of 
title 10.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
after the item relating to section 3697A the following new 
item: 
‘‘3698. Educational counseling.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) USE OF CURRENT PROGRAMS.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs may— 
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(1) use a current program of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act, including the VetSuccess on Campus 
program, to carry out section 3698 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), if 
the Secretary determines such program meets the 
requirements of such section; or 
(2) expand such a current program to carry out 
such section 3698. 
(e) COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall consult and cooperate with 
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Education, and 
any other appropriate head of a Federal department or 
agency in carrying out the amendments made by this Act. 
SEC. 3. TRAINING AND COUNSELING SO VETERANS AND 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES CAN 
MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT EDU-
CATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding after section 
3698, as added by section 2(a), the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3699. Required one-on-one educational counseling 
‘‘(a) PROVISION OF COUNSELING REQUIRED.—(1) 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide individual-
ized, one-on-one educational counseling to an individual 
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considering pursuing a program of education with assist-
ance furnished under this chapter or any of chapters 30 
through 35 of this title unless the individual declines to 
receive such counseling. The Secretary shall ensure that 
an individual may decline to receive such counseling 
through a streamlined process on the Internet Web site 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense shall provide individ-
ualized, one-on-one educational counseling to an individual 
considering pursuing a program of education with assist-
ance furnished under chapter 106A or 1606 of title 10 
unless the individual declines to receive such counseling. 
The Secretary shall ensure that an individual may decline 
to receive such counseling through a streamlined process 
on the Internet Web site of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(b) TIME
AND MANNER
OF COUNSELING.—(1) 
Counseling provided under subsection (a) to an individual 
described in such subsection considering a program of 
education shall be provided at or before the individual en-
rolls in such program as follows: 
‘‘(A) To such individuals who have received 
fewer than 1⁄3 of the credits necessary to complete 
the program of education, a complete version of such 
counseling. 
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‘‘(B) To such individuals who have received 1⁄3 
or more of the credits necessary to complete the pro-
gram of education, a condensed version of such 
counseling as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or 
the Secretary of Defense, as the case may be, con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(2) To the extent practicable, counseling provided 
under subsection (a) to an individual described in para-
graph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be provided in per-
son. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Sec-
retary of Defense shall each establish, by regulation, pro-
cedures by which individuals may receive counseling pro-
vided under subsection (a) when receipt of such counseling 
in person is not practicable. 
‘‘(c) ELEMENTS.—A complete version of counseling 
provided under subsection (b)(1) for an individual shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(1) An overview of educational assistance 
available to the individual under this chapter and 
chapters 30 through 35 of this title or under chap-
ters 106A and 1606 of title 10, as the case may be. 
‘‘(2) Development of a personalized academic 
and career plan. 
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‘‘(3) An overview of the information disclosed 
and made readily available under section 3672(f)(1) 
of this title relevant to the academic and career plan 
developed under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) A discussion of how enrollment in the pro-
gram of education at the educational institution will 
affect the individual’s academic and career plan and 
the financial implications for such individual of such 
enrollment. 
‘‘(5) An introduction to the College Navigator 
Internet Web site of the Department of Education. 
‘‘(d) QUALIFIED COUNSELORS.—Counseling provided 
under subsection (a) may only be provided by properly 
trained counselors, as determined by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(e) USE OF INFORMATION DISCLOSED BY EDU-
CATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.—In providing educational as-
sistance under this section, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs and the Secretary of Defense shall, to the degree 
practicable, use the information disclosed and made read-
ily available under section 3672(f)(1) of this title. 
‘‘(f) LINKS TO COLLEGE NAVIGATOR INTERNET WEB 
SITE OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall pro-
vide links on the Internet Web sites of the Department 
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of Veterans Affairs of the Department of Defense, respec-
tively, to the College Navigator Internet Web site of the 
Department of Education in such a manner as the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense 
consider appropriate to inform veterans and members of 
the Armed Forces of the availability of and the benefits 
of using the College Navigator Internet Web site.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 36 of such title, as amended by section 2(b), 
is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘3699. Required one-on-one educational counseling.’’. 
(c) CLARIFICATION.— 
(1) HEADING OF SECTION 3697A OF TITLE 38.— 
Section 3697A of such title is amended, in the head-
ing, by adding ‘‘by election’’ at the end. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
for chapter 36 of such title is amended by amending 
the item relating to section 3697A to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘3697A. Educational and vocational counseling by election.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 3697B of such title, 
as added by paragraph (1), shall take effect on August 
1, 2013, and shall apply with respect to individuals consid-
ering pursuing programs of education as described in sub-
section (a) of such section after such date. 
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SEC. 4. REPEAL OF LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS FOR CON-
TRACT 
EDUCATIONAL 
AND 
VOCATIONAL 
COUNSELING PROVIDED BY SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
Section 3697 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘(a) Subject 
to subsection (b) of this section, educational’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Educational’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘section 3697A’’ and inserting 
‘‘sections 3697A, 3698, or 3699’’. 
SEC. 5. VETERANS’ EDUCATION CONSUMER COMPLAINT 
TRACKING SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended by inserting after section 
3693 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3693A. Complaint tracking system 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary shall establish a system to collect, process, and 
track complaints submitted to the Secretary by individuals 
who are enrolled in programs of education at educational 
institutions to report instances of fraud, waste, and abuse 
by such institutions with respect to the benefits and serv-
ices provided by such institutions to such individuals. 
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‘‘(b) 
REQUIREMENTS.—This 
system 
established 
under subsection (a) shall meet the following require-
ments: 
‘‘(1) The system shall create an individual case 
number for each complaint processed and tracked in 
the system. 
‘‘(2) The system shall allow for the reporting of 
complaints, disaggregated by educational institution. 
‘‘(3) The system shall allow for the reporting of 
complaints, disaggregated by topic or subject matter. 
‘‘(4) The system shall allow for the submittal of 
complaints by— 
‘‘(A) Internet Web site; and 
‘‘(B) telephone via a toll-free number that 
is available every day at all hours. 
‘‘(5) The system shall allow for the sharing of 
complaints with the following: 
‘‘(A) The educational institutions that are 
the subjects of the complaints. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Education. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(D) State approving agencies. 
‘‘(E) Nationally or regionally recognized 
accrediting agencies and associations. 
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‘‘(F) Such other Federal agencies as the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers appro-
priate. 
‘‘(c) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall conduct such 
outreach as may be necessary to inform individuals de-
scribed in subsection (a) of the system and process estab-
lished under such subsection. 
‘‘(d) CONSIDERATION BY STATE APPROVING AGEN-
CIES.—Whenever a State approving agency considers 
whether to approve a course of education of an educational 
institution under this chapter, the State approving agency 
shall review and take into consideration the complaints 
processed and tracked by the system established under 
subsection (a) regarding the educational institution. 
‘‘(e) PRIVACY.—(1) Whenever a complaint is shared 
under 
subsection 
(b)(5), 
the 
complaint 
shall 
be 
anonymized, unless the complainant gives permission to 
the Secretary to share the complainant’s identity. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not share a complaint under 
subsection (b)(5) with an educational institution if the 
complainant requests that such complaint not be shared 
with an educational institution.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 36 of such title is amended 
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by inserting after the item relating to section 3693 the 
following new item: 
‘‘3693A. Complaint tracking system.’’. 
Æ 
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