Title: To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as programs of education pursued at educational institutions, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to provide educational assistance through December 21, 2020, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation. Such assistance includes monthly housing stipends or certain subsistence allowances.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6194 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6194

    To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain 
   programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of 
    emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as 
  programs of education pursued at educational institutions, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2020

Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain 
   programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of 
    emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as 
  programs of education pursued at educational institutions, 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. 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 chapter 31 of 
        such title.
    (b) Applicability Period.--Subsection (a) shall apply during the 
period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 21, 2020.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) 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) The term ``program of education'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 3002 of title 38, United States Code.
            (3) The term ``State approving agency'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 3671 of title 38, United States 
        Code.
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