Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6397
Sponsor: Rep. Hensarling, Jeb [R-TX-5]
Introduced: 2008-06-26 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative fees
Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Animals
Annuities
Apprenticeship
Appropriations
Armed forces reserves
Business education
Civil service retirement
Coastal zone
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Continental shelf
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Energy
Energy development
Environmental Protection
Families
Federal employees
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Gas in submerged lands
Government Operations and Politics
Government employees' health insurance
Government trust funds
Health
Higher education
Impact aid
Information technology
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Judicial review
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Married people
Natural gas
Ocean energy resources
Oil and gas leases
Oil well drilling
Petroleum
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Recruiting of employees
Revenue sharing
Right-of-way
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
State laws
Student employment
Student loan funds
Transportation and Public Works
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: 
Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program for veterans to: (1) increase the rates of basic educational assistance and the time limit for entitlement to and use of such assistance; (2) provide a stipend for individuals using such assistance to pursue a program of education at an institution of higher learning; (3) extend the period for the collection of a fee for the use of such assistance; (4) authorize the use of such assistance for business courses and seminars, courses taken to prepare for licensing or certification tests, and the repayment of federal student loans; (5) allow for withdrawal of the election not to enroll in the program; (6) state that such assistance shall not reduce eligibility for other financial aid; (7) extend the increase in benefits for certain individuals pursuing apprenticeships or on-job training; (8) modify the amount for reimbursement of state and local agencies administering veterans' education benefits; (9) provide educational assistance for veterans discharged under a general discharge; (10) increase the reporting fee payable to educational institutions that enroll veterans receiving assistance; (11) provide additional areas of work-study for veterans; (12) require a five-year pilot program for on-campus work-study positions; (13) increase the number of employees in the Education Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); (14) require an action plan for upgrading VA information technology used in the administration of educational benefits; (15) modify the advance payment of initial educational assistance or subsistence allowance; (16) modify the period of eligibility for educational assistance applicable to spouses of individuals with service-connected disabilities considered permanent; (17) increase the amount of educational assistance for reserve personnel supporting contingency and other operations; and (18) expand the programs of education eligible for the accelerated payment of educational assistance.
 
Revises federal employment provisions with respect to: (1) a voucher plan for Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) participants; (2) the basis for government contributions for annuitants under the FEHBP; (3) the computation of benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS); and (4) the elimination of the annuity supplement under FERS and related retirement systems.
 
National Environment and Energy Development Act - Declares without force or effect all federal prohibitions against the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for any area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
 
Revokes all withdrawals of federal submerged lands from leasing for natural gas exploration and production.
 
Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from: (1) granting a natural gas lease for any OCS located within 25 miles of a state coastline; (2) issuing any lease for natural gas exploration or development in any OCS area within 50 miles of a state coastline unless the state has enacted a law approving such lease; or (3) issuing a lease for natural gas exploration or development in any OCS area more than 50 and less than 100 miles from the coastline of a state if the state has enacted a law disapproving such lease issuance.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to issue leases for development and production of natural gas and associated condensate.
 
American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement a competitive leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources on the Coastal Plain of Alaska.
 
Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
 
Deems any oil and gas leasing programs and activities authorized by this Act to be in compliance with ANWR purposes.
 
Authorizes the Secretary, after certain consultation, to designate up to 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area. Permits directional drilling in the Special Area.
 
Prescribes procedures governing Coastal Plain lease sales, including: (1) environmental protection; (2) federal and state distribution of revenues; (3) rights-of-way; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance.
 
Sets forth: (1) a &quot;no significant adverse effect&quot; standard to govern Coastal Plain activities; and (2) guidelines for expedited judicial review of complaints.
 
Establishes the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2008-07-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2008-07-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Introduced in House