REMOTE Act of 2021
Bill: S.3247 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act of 2021 or the REMOTE Act of 2021
This bill addresses the administration of certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance benefits, including by authorizing the VA to waive certain enrollment verifications, exempting foreign educational institutions from certain requirements, and extending the time limitations on the use of educational assistance benefits.

To extend certain expiring provisions of law relating to benefits 
 provided under Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance 
     programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Education Mitigating 
Options and Technical Extensions Act of 2021'' or the ``REMOTE Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSIONS OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATING TO BENEFITS 
              PROVIDED UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL 
              ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

    (a) Extension of Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 
2020.--Section 2 of the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 
2020 (Public Law 116-140; 38 U.S.C. 3031 note), as amended by section 
5202(a) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act 
of 2020 (division E of Public Law 116-159), is further amended by 
striking ``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 2022''.
    (b) Extension of Payment of Work-Study Allowances During Emergency 
Situation.--Section 3 of the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act 
of 2020 (38 U.S.C. 3485 note) is amended by striking ``During the 
covered period'' and inserting ``During the period beginning on March 
1, 2020, and ending on June 1, 2022''.
    (c) Extension of Period for Continuation of Department of Veterans 
Affairs Educational Assistance Benefits for Certain Programs of 
Education Converted to Distance Learning by Reason of Emergencies and 
Health-Related Situations.--Section 1(b) of Public Law 116-128 (38 
U.S.C. 3001 note prec.), as amended by section 5202(b) of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2020 
(division E of Public Law 116-159), is further amended by striking 
``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 2022''.
    (d) Extension of Modification of Time Limitations on Use of 
Entitlement to Montgomery GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Training.--Section 1105 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. 
Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 
116-315) is amended by striking ``December 21, 2021'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``June 1, 2022''.
    (e) Extension of Continuation of Department of Veterans Affairs 
Educational Assistance Benefits During COVID-19 Emergency.--Section 
1102(e) of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health 
Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315) is 
amended by striking ``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 
2022''.
    (f) Extension of Provisions Relating to Effects of Closure of 
Educational Institution and Modification of Courses by Reason of COVID-
19 Emergency.--Section 1103(h) of such Act is amended by striking 
``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 2022''.
    (g) Extension of Provision Relating to Payment of Educational 
Assistance in Cases of Withdrawal.--Section 1104(a) of such Act is 
amended by striking ``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 
2022''.
    (h) Extension of Provision Relating to Apprenticeship or On-Job 
Training Requirements.--Section 1106(b) of such Act is amended by 
striking ``December 21, 2021'' and inserting ``June 1, 2022''.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATIONS TO REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 
              PARTICIPATING IN THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Waiver of Verification of Enrollment for Certain Educational 
Institutions.--Section 3313(l) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the requirements of 
        this subsection for an educational institution that the 
        Secretary has determined uses a flat tuition and fee structure 
        that would make the use of a second verification under this 
        subsection unnecessary.''.
    (b) Limitations on Authority To Disapprove of Courses.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (f) of section 3679 of title 
        38, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)(B),
                            (i) by inserting ``, except for the 
                        recruitment of foreign students residing in 
                        foreign countries who are not eligible to 
                        receive Federal student assistance'' after 
                        ``assistance''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following new 
                        subparagraph:
            ``(C) In determining whether a violation of subparagraph 
        (B) has occurred, the State approving agency, or the Secretary 
        when acting in the place of the State approving agency, shall 
        construe the requirements of this paragraph in accordance with 
        the regulations and guidance prescribed by the Secretary of 
        Education under section 487(a)(20) of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(20)).'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph 
                (8); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following 
                new paragraph (7):
    ``(7) This subsection shall not apply to an educational 
institution--
            ``(A) located in a foreign country; or
            ``(B) that provides to a covered individual consumer 
        information regarding costs of the program of education 
        (including financial aid available to such covered individual) 
        using a form or template developed by the Secretary of 
        Education.''.
            (2) Application date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        may not carry out subsection (f) of section 3679 of title 38, 
        United States Code, until August 1, 2022, except that, 
        beginning on June 15, 2022, an educational institution may 
        submit an application for a waiver under paragraph (5) of such 
        subsection.
            (3) Conforming amendments.--Subsection (c) of section 3696 
        of such title is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``An educational'';
                    (B) by inserting ``, except for the recruitment of 
                foreign students residing in foreign countries who are 
                not eligible to receive Federal student assistance'' 
                after ``assistance''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) In determining whether a violation of paragraph (1) has 
occurred, the Under Secretary for Benefits shall construe the 
requirements of this paragraph in accordance with the regulations and 
guidance prescribed by the Secretary of Education under section 
487(a)(20) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1094(a)(20)).''.
    (c) Exemption of Foreign Schools From Certain Requirements.--
            (1) Information relating to tests.--Section 3689(c) of 
        title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new paragraph:
    ``(3) Subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) shall not apply with 
respect to an educational institution located in a foreign country.''.
            (2) Examination of records.--Section 3690(c) of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``Notwithstanding'' and inserting 
                ``(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
                notwithstanding''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the records and accounts--
            ``(A) of an educational institution located in a foreign 
        country; and
            ``(B) that pertain to an individual who is not receiving 
        educational assistance under this chapter.''.

SEC. 4. CONTINUATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL 
              ASSISTANCE BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION 
              CONVERTED TO DISTANCE LEARNING BY REASON OF EMERGENCIES 
              AND HEALTH-RELATED SITUATIONS.

    (a) In General.--In the case of a program of education approved by 
a State approving agency, or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs when 
acting in the role of a State approving agency, that is converted from 
being offered on-site at an educational institution to being offered by 
distance learning by reason of an emergency or health-related 
situation, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may continue 
to provide educational assistance under the laws administered by the 
Secretary without regard to such conversion, including with respect to 
paying any--
            (1) monthly housing stipends under chapter 33 of title 38, 
        United States Code; or
            (2) payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 
        31, 32, and 35 of such title and chapters 1606 and 1607 of 
        title 10, United States Code.
    (b) Applicability Period.--Subsection (a) shall apply during the 
period beginning on December 21, 2021, and ending on June 1, 2022.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
        institution'' has the meaning given that term in section 3452 
        of title 38, United States Code, and includes an institution of 
        higher learning (as defined in such section).
            (2) Program of education.--The term ``program of 
        education'' has the meaning given that term in section 3002 of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (3) State approving agency.--The term ``State approving 
        agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 3671 of 
        title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 5. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

    (a) In General.--Amounts provided to carry out the amendments made 
by this Act are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to 
section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
933(g)).
    (b) Designation in Senate.--In the Senate, amounts provided to 
carry out the amendments made by this Act are designated as an 
emergency requirement pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 
(115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal 
year 2018.
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