A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to implement certain recommendations of the Commission of Veterans' Education Policy for veterans' education policy improvements concerning work-study allowances, institutional reporting fees, and distinctions in degree and nondegree training; and for other purposes.
Veterans Education Policy Improvements Act - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to revise the hourly minimum wage to be paid to veteran-students who are pursuing full-time programs of rehabilitation, education, or training under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Defines the hourly minimum wage to be paid to such veteran-students as the applicable Federal or State hourly minimum wage. Authorizes the payment of an identical work-study allowance for veterans' survivors and dependents who are pursuing a full-time program of education in a State in return for such person's agreement to perform such services.
Authorizes the Secretary to discontinue an educational assistance allowance if a person's attendance is unsatisfactory. (Currently, only poor conduct or progress are causes for such discontinuance.) Requires certain attendance performance to be taken into consideration in the approval (or disapproval) of accredited courses having no attendance standards. Revises the standards under which an educational or subsistence allowance need not be paid to include those periods when a person's attendance, conduct, or progress is unsatisfactory or such person is not pursuing the course in accordance with the standards as prescribed by the Secretary.
Repeals a limitation on the number of changes of programs of education allowed for veterans and other eligible persons, instead allowing any number of such changes as long as each change is approved by the Secretary. Authorizes the Secretary to approve a program change necessitated by circumstances beyond the control of the eligible veteran or person. Limits the circumstances under which the Secretary may approve a second or subsequent change of program of education.
Authorizes the Secretary to withhold the payment of educational assistance benefits until the required proof is received that the person is satisfactorily pursuing the program of education.
Provides that "mitigating circumstances" authorizing the withdrawal of a student from a program of education shall include withdrawal to furnish care for the veteran's or person's child due to difficulties in making or changing child-care arrangements.
Authorizes the Secretary to approve the enrollment of an eligible member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve under contracts with the Department of Defense for a program of education. Authorizes the Secretary to utilize the services of those members of the armed forces receiving assistance under applicable Federal armed forces' educational assistance programs.
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans.
Committee on Veterans requested executive comment from the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, and Office of Management and Budget.
Committee on Veterans. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 101-469.
Committee on Veterans. Provisions of measure incorporated into measure S. 13 ordered to be reported.
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