Veteran Education Empowerment Act
Bill: S.1881 | Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky (D-NV)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Veteran Education Empowerment Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and otherwise revises a Department of Education (ED) grant program for student veteran centers. Specifically, ED must make grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to establish, maintain, improve, or operate a student veteran center. A student veteran center is a dedicated space on a campus that provides students who are veterans or members of the Armed Forces with (1) a lounge or meeting space for themselves, their spouses or partners, their children, and veterans in the community; and (2) a centralized office for student veteran services that serves as a single point of contact to coordinate comprehensive support services for student veterans.

To reauthorize and improve a grant program to assist institutions of 
higher education in establishing, maintaining, improving, and operating 
                        Student Veteran Centers.

    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 ``Veteran Education Empowerment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) More than 1,000,000 veterans attend institutions of 
        higher education each year.
            (2) Veterans face unique challenges in transitioning from 
        the battlefield to the classroom and eventually to the 
        workforce, including: age differences, family obligations, 
        significant time away from academic life, and service-related 
        disabilities.
            (3) The National Education Association found that student 
        veterans can feel lonely and vulnerable on campus and that 
        ``connecting student veterans can effectively ease this 
        isolation'' by bringing together new student veterans with 
        those who have already successfully navigated the first few 
        semesters of college.
            (4) According to Mission United--a United Way program that 
        helps veterans re-acclimate to civilian life--it is often 
        ``essential'' for student veterans to be mentored by ``another 
        veteran who understands their mindset and experience''.
            (5) Student Veteran Centers are recognized as an 
        institutional best practice by Student Veterans of America.
            (6) The American Council on Education, which represents 
        more than 1,700 institutions of higher education across the 
        United States, has called having a dedicated space for veterans 
        on campus ``a promising way for colleges and universities to 
        better serve veterans on campus'' and a ``critical'' component 
        of many colleges' efforts to serve their student veterans.
            (7) The Department of Education included as one of its 8 
        Keys to Veterans' Success that colleges and universities should 
        ``coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all veterans, 
        together with the creation of a designated space for them''.
            (8) Budget constraints often make it difficult or 
        impossible for institutions of higher education to dedicate 
        space to veteran offices, lounges, or student centers.
            (9) The 110th Congress authorized the funding of Student 
        Veteran Centers through the Centers of Excellence for Veteran 
        Student Success under part T of title VIII of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t). Congress also chose to 
        appropriate funding for this program for fiscal year 2015 under 
        the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 
        2015 (Public Law 113-235).
            (10) According to the Department of Education, federally 
        funded Student Veteran Centers and staff have generated 
        improved recruitment, retention, and graduation rates, have 
        helped student veterans feel better connected across campus, 
        and have directly contributed to the successful academic 
        outcomes of student veterans.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE STUDENT 
              VETERAN CENTERS.

    Part T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1161t) is amended to read as follows:

              ``PART T--GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS

``SEC. 873. GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations under subsection (h), the Secretary shall award grants 
to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of 
higher education to assist in the establishment, maintenance, 
improvement, and operation of Student Veteran Centers.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Application.--An institution or consortium seeking a 
        grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Criteria.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
        subsection (a) to an institution or a consortium if the 
        institution or consortium meets each of the following criteria:
                    ``(A) The institution or consortium enrolls in 
                undergraduate or graduate courses--
                            ``(i) a significant number of student 
                        veterans, members of the Armed Forces serving 
                        on active duty, or members of a reserve 
                        component of the Armed Forces; or
                            ``(ii) a significant percentage of student 
                        veterans, members of the Armed Forces serving 
                        on active duty, or members of a reserve 
                        component of the Armed Forces,
        as measured by comparing, for the most recent academic year for 
        which data are available, the number or percentage of student 
        veterans, members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, 
        and members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who are 
        enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses at the 
        institution or consortium, with the average number or 
        percentage of student veterans, members of the Armed Forces 
        serving on active duty, and members of a reserve component of 
        the Armed Forces who were enrolled in undergraduate or graduate 
        courses at comparable institutions or consortia of 
        institutions.
                    ``(B) The institution or consortium presents a 
                sustainability plan to demonstrate that the Student 
                Veteran Center will be maintained and will continue to 
                operate after the grant period has ended.
            ``(3) Selection criteria.--In awarding grants under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide the following:
                    ``(A) Priority consideration to institutions or 
                consortia that meet one or more of the following 
                criteria:
                            ``(i) The institution or consortium is 
                        located in a region or community that has a 
                        significant population of veterans.
                            ``(ii) The institution or consortium 
                        considers the need to serve student veterans at 
                        a wide range of institutions of higher 
                        education, including the need to provide 
                        equitable distribution of grants to 
                        institutions of various sizes, geographic 
                        locations, and institutions in urban and rural 
                        areas.
                            ``(iii) The institution or consortium 
                        carries out programs or activities that assist 
                        veterans in the local community, and the 
                        spouses or partners and children of student 
                        veterans.
                            ``(iv) The institution or consortium 
                        partners in its veteran-specific programming 
                        with nonprofit veteran service organizations, 
                        local workforce development organizations, or 
                        other institutions of higher education.
                            ``(v) The institution or consortium commits 
                        to hiring a staff at the Student Veteran Center 
                        that includes veterans (including student 
                        veteran volunteers and student veterans 
                        participating in a Federal work-study program 
                        under part C of title IV, a work-study program 
                        administered by the Secretary of Veteran 
                        Affairs, or a State work-study program).
                            ``(vi) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to providing an orientation for student 
                        veterans that--
                                    ``(I) is separate from the new 
                                student orientation provided by the 
                                institution or consortium; and
                                    ``(II) provides student veterans 
                                with information on the benefits and 
                                resources available to such students at 
                                or through the institution or 
                                consortium.
                            ``(vii) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to using a portion of the grant 
                        received under this section to develop or 
                        maintain a student veteran retention program 
                        carried out by the Student Veteran Center.
                            ``(viii) The institution or consortium 
                        commits to providing mental health counseling 
                        to its student veterans (and the spouses or 
                        partners and children of such students).
                    ``(B) Equitable distribution of such grants to 
                institutions or consortia of various sizes, geographic 
                locations, and in urban and rural areas.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--An institution or consortium that is 
        awarded a grant under subsection (a) shall use such grant to 
        establish, maintain, improve, or operate a Student Veteran 
        Center.
            ``(2) Other allowable uses.--An institution or consortium 
        receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use a portion of 
        such grant to carry out supportive instruction services for 
        student veterans, including--
                    ``(A) assistance with special admissions and 
                transfer of credit from previous postsecondary 
                education or experience; and
                    ``(B) any other support services the institution or 
                consortium determines to be necessary to ensure the 
                success of student veterans in achieving education and 
                career goals.
    ``(d) Amounts Awarded.--
            ``(1) Duration.--Each grant awarded under subsection (a) 
        shall be for a 4-year period.
            ``(2) Total amount of grant and schedule.--Each grant 
        awarded under subsection (a) may not exceed a total of 
        $500,000. The Secretary shall disburse to an institution or 
        consortium the amount awarded under the grant in such amounts 
        and at such times during the grant period as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(e) Report.--From the amounts appropriated to carry out this 
section, and not later than 3 years after the date on which the first 
grant is awarded under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the grant program established under subsection 
(a), including--
            ``(1) the number of grants awarded;
            ``(2) the institutions of higher education and consortia 
        that have received grants;
            ``(3) with respect to each such institution of higher 
        education and consortium--
                    ``(A) the amounts awarded;
                    ``(B) how such institution or consortium used such 
                amounts;
                    ``(C) a description of the demographics of student 
                veterans (and spouses or partners and children of such 
                students) to whom services were offered as a result of 
                the award, including students that are women and belong 
                to minority groups;
                    ``(D) the number of student veterans (and spouses 
                or partners and children of such students) to whom 
                services were offered as a result of the award, and a 
                description of the services that were offered and 
                provided; and
                    ``(E) data enumerating whether the use of the 
                amounts awarded helped student veterans at the 
                institution or consortium toward completion of a 
                degree, certificate, or credential;
            ``(4) best practices for student veteran success, 
        identified by reviewing data provided by institutions and 
        consortia that received a grant under this section; and
            ``(5) a determination by the Secretary with respect to 
        whether the grant program under this section should be extended 
        or expanded.
    ``(f) Department of Education Best Practices Website.--Subject to 
the availability of appropriations under subsection (h) and not later 
than 3 years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop and implement a website for 
Student Veteran Centers at institutions of higher education, which 
details best practices for serving student veterans at institutions of 
higher education.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101.
            ``(2) Student veteran center.--The term `Student Veteran 
        Center' means a dedicated space on a campus of an institution 
        of higher education that provides students who are veterans, 
        members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or members 
        of a reserve component of the Armed Forces with the following:
                    ``(A) A lounge or meeting space for such student 
                veterans (and the spouses or partners and children of 
                such students), and veterans in the community.
                    ``(B) A centralized office for student veteran 
                services that--
                            ``(i) is a single point of contact to 
                        coordinate comprehensive support services for 
                        student veterans;
                            ``(ii) is staffed by trained employees and 
                        volunteers, which includes veterans and at 
                        least one full-time employee or volunteer who 
                        is trained as a veterans' benefits counselor;
                            ``(iii) provides student veterans with 
                        assistance relating to--
                                    ``(I) transitioning from the 
                                military to student life;
                                    ``(II) transitioning from the 
                                military to the civilian workforce;
                                    ``(III) networking with other 
                                student veterans and veterans in the 
                                community;
                                    ``(IV) understanding and obtaining 
                                benefits provided by the institution of 
                                higher education, Federal Government, 
                                and State for which such students may 
                                be eligible;
                                    ``(V) understanding how to succeed 
                                in the institution of higher education, 
                                including by understanding academic 
                                policies, the course selection process, 
                                and institutional policies and 
                                practices related to the transfer of 
                                academic credits; and
                                    ``(VI) understanding disability-
                                related rights and protections under 
                                the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
                                1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and 
                                section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
                                of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); and
                            ``(iv) provides comprehensive academic and 
                        tutoring services for student veterans, 
                        including peer-to-peer tutoring and academic 
                        mentorship.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this part such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2022 and each of the 7 succeeding fiscal years.''.
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