Title: Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020
This bill addresses education programs and assistance for veterans during emergency situations.
Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue paying work-study allowances during emergency periods.
The VA is also authorized to continue paying educational assistance and subsistence allowances for a specified amount of time for programs of education that are suspended due to an emergency situation.
An educational assistance payment shall not be charged against an individual's entitlement to educational assistance if an individual was unable to complete a course or program due to the temporary closure of an educational institution or the temporary termination of a program by reason of an emergency situation. This includes assistance related to training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
The bill extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order. The bill also extends the time limitation for participation in a vocational rehabilitation program when such participation is prevented due to an emergency situation or executive order.
The bill authorizes the VA to pay a subsistence allowance for two additional months to a veteran following a program of employment services from March 1-December 21, 2020, for full-time training for the type of program the veteran was pursuing.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6322 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6322

  To make certain improvements in the educational assistance benefits 
under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the 
    case of changes to courses of education by reason of emergency 
                  situations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 23, 2020

 Mr. Takano (for himself, Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. Castro of 
Texas, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Brownley of California, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
 Rush, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Peters, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Crow, 
  Mr. Pappas, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Smith of 
 Washington, Mr. Allred, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Jayapal, 
  Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Golden, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Sablan, Mr. 
    Cunningham, Miss Rice of New York, and Mr. Levin of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To make certain improvements in the educational assistance benefits 
under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the 
    case of changes to courses of education by reason of emergency 
                  situations, 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 ``Student Veteran Coronavirus Response 
Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. PAYMENT OF WORK-STUDY ALLOWANCES DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

    Section 3485 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f)(1) In case of an individual who is in receipt of work-study 
allowance pursuant to an agreement described in subsection (a)(3) as of 
the date on which an emergency situation occurs and who is unable to 
continue to perform qualifying work-study activities described in 
subsection (a)(4) by reason of the emergency situation--
            ``(A) the Secretary may continue to pay work-study 
        allowance under this section or make deductions described in 
        subsection (e)(1) during the period of such emergency 
        situation, notwithstanding the inability of the individual to 
        perform such work-study activities by reason of such emergency 
        situation; and
            ``(B) at the option of the individual, the Secretary shall 
        extend the agreement described in subsection (a)(3) with the 
        individual for any subsequent period of enrollment initiated 
        during the emergency situation, notwithstanding the inability 
        of the individual to perform work-study activities described in 
        subsection (a)(4) by reason of such emergency situation.
    ``(2) The amount of work-study allowance payable to an individual 
under paragraph (1)(A) during the period of an emergency situation 
shall be an amount determined by the Secretary but may not exceed the 
amount that would be payable under subsection (a)(2) if the individual 
worked 25 hours per week paid during such period.''.

SEC. 3. PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES TO VETERANS ENROLLED IN EDUCATIONAL 
              INSTITUTIONS CLOSED FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

    (a) Temporary Provision.--
            (1) In general.--During the period beginning on March 1, 
        2020, and ending on December 21, 2020, the Secretary may pay 
        allowances to an eligible veteran or eligible person under 
        section 3680(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, if the 
        veteran or person is enrolled in a program or course of 
        education that--
                    (A) is provided by an educational institution that 
                is closed by reason of an emergency situation; or
                    (B) is suspended by reason of an emergency 
                situation.
            (2) Amount of allowance.--The total number of weeks for 
        which allowances may be paid under this section may not exceed 
        four weeks.
            (3) Not counted for purposes of limitation.--Any amount 
        paid under this section shall not be counted for purposes of 
        the limitation on allowanced under section 3680(a)(2)(A) of 
        title 38, United States Code.
    (b) Permanent Provision.--Section 3680(a)(2) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``12-month'' and 
        inserting ``six-month''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) by striking ``or following'' and inserting 
                ``during periods following''; and
                    (B) by inserting after ``section 3699(b)(1)(B) of 
                this title,'' the following: ``, or during periods when 
                a course of study or program of education is 
                temporarily closed or terminated by reason of an 
                emergency situation,''.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION OF CHARGE TO ENTITLEMENT OF STUDENTS UNABLE TO 
              PURSUE A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION DUE TO AN EMERGENCY 
              SITUATION.

    Section 3699(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``and'' at the end 
        and inserting ``or'' ; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) the temporary closure of an educational 
                institution or the temporary closure or termination of 
                a course or program of education by reason of an 
                emergency situation; and''.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATIONS FOR USE OF ENTITLEMENT.

    (a) Montgomery GI Bill.--Section 3031 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) In the case of an individual eligible for educational 
assistance under this chapter who is prevented from pursuing the 
individual's chosen program of education before the expiration of the 
10-year period for the use of entitlement under this chapter otherwise 
applicable under this section because the educational institution 
closed (temporarily or permanently) under an established policy based 
on an Executive order of the President or due to an emergency 
situation, such 10-year period--
            ``(1) shall not run during the period the individual is so 
        prevented from pursuing such program; and
            ``(2) shall again begin running on the first day after the 
        individual is able to resume pursuit of a program of education 
        with educational assistance under this chapter.''.
    (b) Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Section 3321(b)(1) of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``Subsections'';
                    (B) by striking ``and (d)'' and inserting ``(d), 
                and (i)''; and by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(B) Subsection (i) of section 3031 shall apply with 
        respect to the running of the 15-year period described in 
        paragraphs (4)(A) and (5)(A) of this subsection in the same 
        manner as such subsection applies under section 3031 with 
        respect to the running of the 10-year period described in 
        section 3031(a).''.
            (2) Transfer period.--Section 3319(h)(5) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ``or (C)'' 
                after ``subparagraph (B)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Emergency situations.--In any case in which 
                the Secretary determines that an individual to whom 
                entitlement is transferred under this section has been 
                prevented from pursuing the individual's chosen program 
                of education before the individual attains the age of 
                26 years because the educational institution closed 
                (temporarily or permanently) under an established 
                policy based on an Executive order of the President or 
                due to an emergency situation, the Secretary shall 
                extend the period during which the individual may use 
                such entitlement for a period equal to the number of 
                months that the individual was so prevented from 
                pursuing the program of education, as determined by the 
                Secretary.''.
    (c) Vocational Rehabilitation and Training.--
            (1) Period for use.--Section 3103 of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``or (e)'' and 
                inserting ``(e), or (g)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(g) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a veteran 
has been prevented from participating in a vocational rehabilitation 
program under this chapter within the twelve-year period of eligibility 
prescribed in subsection (a) by reason of an Executive order of the 
President or due to an emergency situation, such twelve-year period--
            ``(1) shall not run during the period the individual is so 
        prevented from participating such program; and
            ``(2) shall again begin running on the first day after the 
        individual is able to resume participation in such program.''.
            (2) Duration of program.--Section 3105(b) of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' 
                and inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(3)(A) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a 
veteran has been prevented from participating in counseling and 
placement and postplacement services described in section 3104(a)(2) 
and (5) of this title by reason of an Executive order of the President 
or due to an emergency situation, the Secretary shall extend the period 
during which the Secretary may provide such counseling and placement 
and postplacement services for the veteran for a period equal to the 
number of months that the veteran was so prevented from participating 
in such counseling and services, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(B) In any case in which the Secretary determines that a veteran 
has been prevented from participating in a vocational rehabilitation 
program under this chapter by reason of an Executive order of the 
President or due to an emergency situation, the Secretary shall extend 
the period of the veteran's vocational rehabilitation program for a 
period equal to the number of months that the veteran was so prevented 
from participating in the vocational rehabilitation program, as 
determined by the Secretary.''.
    (d) Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve.--
Section 16133(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(5) In any case in which the Secretary concerned determines that 
a person entitled to educational assistance under this chapter has been 
prevented from using such person's entitlement by reason of an 
Executive order of the President or due to an emergency situation, the 
Secretary concerned shall extend the period of entitlement prescribed 
in subsection (a) for a period equal to the number of months that the 
person was so prevented from using such entitlement, as determined by 
the Secretary.''.

SEC. 6. RESTORATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR 
              VETERANS AFFECTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURE OR DISAPPROVAL.

    (a) Entitlement.--Section 3699 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ``chapter 30,'' each time it appears and inserting 
``chapter 30, 31,''.
    (b) Payment of Subsistence Allowances.--Section 3680(a)(2)(B) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``or a subsistence allowance described in 
        section 3108'' before ``, during''; and
            (2) by inserting ``or allowance'' after ``such a stipend''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply as if included in the enactment of section 109 of the Harry W. 
Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48; 
131 Stat. 978).

SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF PAYMENT OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SUBSISTENCE 
              ALLOWANCES.

    In the case of any veteran who the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
determines is satisfactorily following a program of employment services 
provided under section 3104(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, 
during period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 21, 
2020, the Secretary may pay the veteran a subsistence allowance, as 
prescribed in section 3108 of such title for full-time training for the 
type of program that the veteran was pursuing, for two additional 
months.''.
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