GI Bill Planning Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-5278
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]
Introduced: 2019-12-03
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Government information and archives

Higher education

Military personnel and dependents

Student aid and college costs

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Latest action: action_date: 2019-12-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-12-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>GI Bill Planning Act of 2019</strong></p> <p>This bill extends or removes specified deadlines for certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill updates the Montgomery GI Bill program by extending the period of time under which an election must be made for entitlement to educational assistance under the program. The bill phases the program out on September 30, 2029.</p> <p>The bill also removes a deadline that prevents certain veterans from receiving in-state tuition, regardless of their state of residence, using VA education benefits at public institutions of higher education. Currently, a veteran who is discharged or released after at least 90 days of active service must be within three years of their discharge from active duty to receive in-state tuition (regardless of their state of residence).</p> <p>The VA must post on a public VA website a database explaining any requirements established by a public institution of higher learning for an individual to be charged in-state tuition.</p> <p>The VA must disapprove a course of education at a public institution of higher education that does not provide the VA with an explanation of the requirements (or a timely update of such requirements) for an individual to be charged in-state tuition.<br> </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5278 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 3, 2019 Mr. Bergman (for himself and Miss Rice of New York ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on 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 A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the period under which an election must be made for entitlement to educational assistance under the All-Volunteer Educational Assistance Program of Department of Veterans Affairs, to phase out the use of such program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the GI Bill Planning Act of 2019 . 2. Period for election to receive benefits under All-Volunteer Educational Assistance Program of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Section 3011 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c)(1), by striking Any such election shall be made at the time the individual initially enters on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces and inserting Any such election shall be made during the 90-day period beginning on the day that is 180 days after the date on which the individual initially enters initial training ; and (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking that such individual is entitled to such pay and inserting that begin after the date that is 270 days after the date on which the individual initially enters initial training . (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 3. Phase out of All-Volunteer Educational Assistance Program Subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 3011 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 1, is further amended by striking after June 30, 1985 and inserting during the period beginning July 1, 1985, and ending September 30, 2029 . 4. Requirements for in-State tuition (a) In general Section 3679(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking less than three years before the date of enrollment in the course concerned ; and (2) in paragraph (4)— (A) by striking It shall and inserting (A) It shall ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) To the extent feasible, the Secretary shall make publicly available on the internet website of the Department a database explaining any requirements described in subparagraph (A) that are established by a public institution of higher learning for an individual to be charged tuition and fees at a rate that is equal to or less than the rate the institution charges for tuition and fees for residents of the State in which the institution is located. The Secretary shall disapprove a course of education provided by such an institution that does not provide the Secretary— (i) an initial explanation of such requirements; and (ii) not later than 90 days after the date on which any such requirements change, the updated requirements. . (b) Application The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing on or after August 1, 2020. 5. Determination of budgetary effects The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.