Title: Career-Ready Student Veterans Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Career-Ready Student Veterans Act
This bill adds the following new criteria for state approval, with respect to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance, of applications of educational institutions providing veterans with non-accredited courses:
The VA may waive either of these two requirements if:
The VA shall submit to Congress notice of, and justification for, a waiver within 30 days of issuance.
The VA shall disapprove a course of education unless the educational institution providing it discloses publicly any conditions or additional requirements required to obtain the license, certification, or approval for which the course is designed to provide preparation.
If after enrollment in a course subject to disapproval an individual pursues more courses of education at the same educational institution while remaining continuously enrolled, such courses shall not be subject to disapproval by reason of this bill.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2738 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2738

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the approval of 
 certain programs of education for purposes of educational assistance 
            provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2017

  Mr. Takano introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the approval of 
 certain programs of education for purposes of educational assistance 
            provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``Career-Ready Student Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. APPROVAL OF COURSES FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Approval of Non-Accredited Courses.--Subsection (c) of section 
3676 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (16); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(14) In the case of a program designed to prepare an 
        individual for licensure or certification in a State, the 
        program meets any instructional curriculum licensure or 
        certification requirements of such State.
            ``(15) In the case of a program designed to prepare an 
        individual for employment pursuant to standards developed by a 
        board or agency of a State in an occupation that requires 
        approval or licensure, the program is approved or licensed by 
        such board or agency of the State.''.
    (b) Exceptions.--Such section is further amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection:
    ``(f)(1) The Secretary may waive the requirements of paragraph (14) 
or (15) of subsection (c) in the case of a program of education offered 
by an educational institution if the Secretary determines all of the 
following:
            ``(A) The educational institution is not accredited by an 
        agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education.
            ``(B) The program did not meet the requirements of such 
        paragraph at any time during the two-year period preceding the 
        date of the waiver.
            ``(C) The waiver furthers the purposes of the educational 
        assistance programs administered by the Secretary or would 
        further the education interests of individuals eligible for 
        assistance under such programs.
            ``(D) The educational institution does not provide any 
        commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or 
        indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid 
        to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or 
        admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award 
        of student financial assistance, except for the recruitment of 
        foreign students residing in foreign countries who are not 
        eligible to receive Federal student assistance.
    ``(2) Not later than 30 days after the Secretary issues a waiver 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to Congress notice of 
the waiver and the justification of the Secretary for issuing the 
waiver.''.
    (c) Approval of Accredited Programs.--Section 3675(b)(3) of such 
title is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and (3)'' and inserting ``(3), (14), and 
        (15)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
        following: ``(or, with respect to such paragraphs (14) and 
        (15), the requirements under such paragraphs are waived 
        pursuant to subsection (f) of section 3676)''.
    (d) Disapproval of Courses.--Section 3679 of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the 
Secretary shall disapprove a course of education described in section 
3676(c) (14) or (15) unless the educational institution providing the 
course of education publicly discloses any conditions or additional 
requirements, including training, experience, or exams, required to 
obtain the license, certification, or approval for which the course of 
education is designed to provide preparation.''.
    (e) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3672(b)(2)(A)(i) of such title 
is amended by striking ``An accredited'' and inserting ``Except as 
provided in paragraphs (14) and (15) of section 3676(c) of this title, 
an accredited''.
    (f) Applicability.--If after enrollment in a course of education 
that is subject to disapproval by reason of an amendment made by this 
Act, an individual pursues one or more courses of education at the same 
educational institution while remaining continuously enrolled (other 
than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters or 
terms) at that institution, any course so pursued by the individual at 
that institution while so continuously enrolled shall not be subject to 
disapproval by reason of such amendment.
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