Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022

Bill: 117-hr-7939
Sponsor: Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
Introduced: 2022-06-03 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Educational facilities and institutions
Educational technology and distance education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Student aid and college costs
Temporary and part-time employment
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2022-06-03
text: 

Student Veteran Emergency Relief Act of 2022

 
This bill provides permanent authority for the application of certain flexibilities to assist veterans with their educational assistance benefits during emergency situations (as declared by the President). Specifically, the bill extends certain program adjustments that were implemented during the COVID-19 emergency to other emergency situations that may arise and have an effect on veterans and their educational assistance benefits.
 
Among other flexibilities, the bill 
 
 
authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to provide educational assistance, including monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation;
 
ensures that an educational assistance payment will not be charged against any entitlement to educational assistance or counted against the aggregate period in situations where an individual was unable to complete a course or program due to an emergency situation;
 
extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, or vocational rehabilitation program when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order;
 
authorizes the payment of work-study allowances during emergency periods;
 
ensures an educational assistance payment shall not be charged against an individual's entitlement if the 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; and
 
adjusts the administration of certain benefits for veterans participating in an apprenticeship or other on-job training. 
 
 

action_date: 2022-09-14
text: 

Student Veteran Emergency Relief Act of 2022

 
This bill modifies provisions related to programs and benefits for veterans, including by providing permanent authority for the application of certain flexibilities to assist veterans with their educational assistance benefits during emergency situations (as declared by the President). Specifically, the bill extends certain program adjustments that were implemented during the COVID-19 emergency to other emergency situations that may arise and have an effect on veterans and their educational assistance benefits.
 
Among other flexibilities, the bill (1) authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue to provide educational assistance, including monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation; and (2) extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, or vocational rehabilitation program when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order.
 
In addition, the bill also addresses provisions related to
 
 
VA approval of courses of education and study-abroad programs;
 
notice requirements for VA education surveys;
 
the extension of certain increased loan rates for fees under the VA home loan program;
 
the termination of certain consumer contracts, including gym memberships, of servicemembers and dependents who receive orders that prevent usage of the contracted services;
 
the residence of a servicemember and spouse for tax purposes; and
 
the portability of professional license of members of the uniformed services and their spouses.
 
 

action_date: 2022-12-20
text: 

Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022

 
This bill modifies provisions related to programs and benefits for veterans, including by providing permanent authority for the application of certain flexibilities to assist veterans with their educational assistance benefits during emergency situations (as declared by the President). Specifically, the bill extends certain program adjustments that were implemented during the COVID-19 emergency to other emergency situations that may arise and have an effect on veterans and their educational assistance benefits.
 
Among other flexibilities, the bill (1) authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue to provide educational assistance, including monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation; and (2) extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, or vocational rehabilitation program when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order.
 
In addition, the bill also addresses provisions related to
 
 
VA approval of courses of education and study-abroad programs;
 
notice requirements for VA education surveys;
 
the provision of automobiles or other conveyances for disabled veterans;
 
the termination of certain consumer contracts, including gym memberships, of servicemembers and dependents who receive orders that prevent usage of the contracted services;
 
the residence of a servicemember and spouse for tax purposes; and
 
the portability of professional license of members of the uniformed services and their spouses.
 
 

action_date: 2023-01-05
text: 

Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022

 
This act modifies provisions related to programs and benefits for veterans, including by providing permanent authority for the application of certain flexibilities to assist veterans with their educational assistance benefits during emergency situations. An 
emergency situation
 is defined as a situation that the President declares as an emergency and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines is an emergency for purposes of the laws it administers. 
 
Specifically, the act extends certain program adjustments that were implemented during the COVID-19 emergency (including adjustments made in the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020) to other emergency situations that may arise and have an effect on veterans and their educational assistance benefits.
 
Among other flexibilities, the act (1) authorizes the VA to continue to provide educational assistance, including monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation; and (2) extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, or vocational rehabilitation program when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order.
 
Due to an emergency situation, the VA is authorized to 
 
 
extend by two months the payment of vocational rehabilitation subsistence allowances,
 
continue paying work-study allowances and extend work-study agreements, and 
 
continue paying educational assistance and subsistence allowances for a specified amount of time for programs of education that are suspended or closed.
 
 
This act also adjusts the administration of certain benefits for veterans participating in an apprenticeship or other on-job training during an emergency situation, including by proportionately reducing the 120-hour monthly training requirement to reflect an individual's period of unemployment without a reduction in training assistance.
 
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. 
 
The act provides the requirements that must be met for a study-abroad course to be approved for purposes of VA educational assistance.
 
The act provides eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance for individuals, including officers, who are discharged or released from active duty with a sole survivorship discharge following at least 30 continuous days on qualifying active duty after September 10, 2001.
 
The VA must partner with state approving agencies, educational institutions, and training establishments to require the use of a uniform application for the VA's course approval process. The uniform application must be developed by October 1, 2023, and be required for the approval of any new course of education proposed on or after that day.
 
The act provides notice requirements for VA education surveys. Specifically, the VA or a state approving agency must provide not more than one business day of notice to an educational institution before conducting a targeted risk-based survey. The VA or state approving agency must provide not more than 10 business days of notice to an educational institution or training establishment before conducting a compliance survey.
 
Under the act, educational institutions are excepted from the requirement to verify the enrollment of certain individuals who are receiving VA educational assistance (e.g., individuals who are enrolled in a program on at least a full-time basis before they are able to withdraw from the course without penalty).
 
The act expands eligibility for self-employment assistance under the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program to include certain veterans who have a service-connected disability or employment handicap in addition to those with the most severe service-connected disabilities.
 
The VA must report on possible definitions for
 student services
, 
marketing
, and 
classroom instruction 
for purposes of VA educational assistance.
 
The act extends through November 30, 2031, certain limitations on pension payments to veterans who have no dependents and are being furnished domiciliary care by the VA.
 
The act authorizes a servicemember to terminate specified contracts (e.g., contracts for commercial mobile service or internet service) that are entered into in relation to military orders for a permanent change of station if the member then receives a stop movement order in response to a local, national, or global emergency which prevents the member from using the services provided under the contract.
 
The act provides that a spouse of a servicemember may retain their personal residence or domicile for purposes of taxation. Under the act, a servicemember and the spouse of the member are authorized to elect to use the following locations for purposes of taxation:
 
 
the residence or domicile of the member,
 
the residence or domicile of the spouse, or
 
the permanent duty station of the member.
 
 
The act provides for the portability of professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license.
 
The act authorizes the VA to provide non-articulating trailers (adaptive equipment) to veterans with specified disabilities or diseases incurred or aggravated due to their military service.
 
The act authorizes the VA to provide (or assist in providing) an eligible veteran or servicemember with an additional automobile or other conveyance under the VA automobile allowance and adaptive equipment program if (1) more than 30 years have elapsed since the person last received such benefit; or (2) beginning 10 years after the date of this act, if more than 10 years have elapsed since the person last received such benefit.
 
Finally, the act includes certain vehicle modifications (e.g., van lifts) under the definition of medical services for VA health care purposes.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Became Public Law No: 117-333.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Became Public Law No: 117-333.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2022-12-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2022-12-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2022-12-22
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2022-12-22
text: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 380 - 35 (Roll no. 546). (consideration: CR  H10037-10038; text: 12/21/2022 CR H9961-9966)
action_date: 2022-12-22
text: Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 380 - 35 (Roll no. 546).(consideration: CR  H10037-10038; text: 12/21/2022 CR H9961-9966)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 7939.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Mr. Takano moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H9961-9968)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2022-12-20
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S9643-9649)
action_date: 2022-12-20
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S9643-9649)
action_date: 2022-12-20
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9609-9610)
action_date: 2022-09-15
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2022-09-14
text: Pursuant to section 11 of H. Res. 1339, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1468, as amended; H.R. 5865; H.R. 5916, as amended; H.R. 7735, as amended; H.R. 7846; H.R. 7939, as amended; H.R. 8260, as amended; and S. 4205. (consideration: CR H7814-7822; text: CR H7814-7819)
action_date: 2022-09-14
text: Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 11 of H. Res. 1339, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1468, as amended; H.R. 5865; H.R. 5916, as amended; H.R. 7735, as amended; H.R. 7846; H.R. 7939, as amended; H.R. 8260, as amended; and S. 4205.(consideration: CR H7814-7822; text: CR H7814-7819)
action_date: 2022-09-14
text: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1339, proceedings on H.R. 7939 are considered vacated.
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7939.
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7760-7767; text: CR H7761-7765)
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2022-07-19
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2022-07-19
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2022-07-18
text: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Discharged.
action_date: 2022-06-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2022-06-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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: 2022-06-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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: 2022-06-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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: 2022-06-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2022-06-03
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 117-333