Protecting Our Veterans From School Closures Act

Bill: 114-hr-6003
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Messer, Luke [R-IN-6]
Introduced: 2016-09-13
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Higher education

Student aid and college costs

Student records

User charges and fees

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Latest action: action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-09-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Protecting Our Veterans From School Closures Act</strong></p> <p>This bill declares that if, as a result of a permanent school closure, a veteran is forced to discontinue a course or did not receive credit, or lost training time, toward completion of the education program, Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance payments for such discontinued course or program shall not be: (1) charged against the individual's entitlement to educational assistance, or (2) counted against the aggregate period for which such assistance may be provided. </p> <p>The bill applies to courses and programs of education discontinued after August 1, 2016.</p> <p>Certain reporting fees paid to educational institutions furnishing veterans education or training shall be reduced for the 10-year period beginning on January 1, 2017.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6003 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 13, 2016 Mr. Messer (for himself, Mrs. Brooks of Indiana , Mr. Young of Indiana , Mr. Bucshon , Mrs. Walorski , and Mr. Rokita ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans affected by school closures certain relief and restoration of educational benefits, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Our Veterans From School Closures Act . 2. Restoration of entitlement to post-9/11 educational assistance for veterans affected by closures of educational institutions (1) Educational Assistance Section 3312 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) Discontinuation of education due to closure of educational institution (1) In general Any payment of educational assistance described in paragraph (2) shall not— (A) be charged against any entitlement to educational assistance of the individual concerned under this chapter; or (B) be counted against the aggregate period for which section 3695 of this title limits the individual’s receipt of educational assistance under this chapter. (2) Description of payment of educational assistance Subject to paragraph (3), the payment of educational assistance described in this paragraph is the payment of such assistance to an individual for pursuit of a course or courses under this chapter if the Secretary finds that the individual— (A) was forced to discontinue such course of study pursuit as a result of a permanent or temporary closure of an educational institution; or (B) did not receive credit, or lost training time, toward completion of the program of education being pursued at the time of such closure. (3) Period for which payment not charged The period for which, by reason of this subsection, educational assistance is not charged against entitlement or counted toward the applicable aggregate period under section 3695 of this title shall not exceed the aggregate period permitted under such section. . (2) Applicability Subsection (d) of such section, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply with respect to courses and programs of education discontinued as described in paragraph (2) of such subsection after August 1, 2016. 3. Reduction in fees to match pell grant fees During the 10-year period beginning on January 1, 2017, the second sentence of subsection (c) of section 3684 of title 38, United States Code, shall be applied— (1) by substituting $5 for $12 ; and (2) by substituting $5 for $15 .