Veterans' Education and Employment Assistance Act of 1976

(Measure passed House, amended)

Veterans' Education and Employment Assistance Act - =Title I: Chapter 31 Disabled Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Rate and Program Adjustments= - Increases the monthly subsistence allowance payable to disabled veterans. Repeals the existing limitation on the use of vocational rehabilitation eligibility for the training of seriously disabled veterans. Grants to the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs authority to extend entitlement periods upon a veteran's continued need for vocational rehabilitation.

Authorizes the utilization of Federal agencies to provide training and work experience for disabled veterans on an uncompensated basis when such training would aid in their rehabilitation.

=Title II: Veterans' Education Rate and Program Adjustments= - Increases by eight percent the educational assistance allowance paid to eligible veterans pursuing a program of education.

Defines the terms "institution of higher learning" and "standard college degree" for purposes of this title.

Permits veterans entitled to 36 months of educational assistance an additional nine months of assistance for pursuit of educational programs.

Extends the ten year delimiting period for use of veterans' benefits to compensate for periods during which a veteran is prevented from completing his or her program of education because of a physical or mental disability not the result of the veteran's misconduct.

Requires the Administrator to carry out a comprehensive study of vocational objective programs in order to determine whether the goals of such programs are being met.

Prohibits enrollment of veterans in any independent study program other than those leading to a standard college degree.

Extends to all education programs the requirement that no more than 85 percent of the students enrolled in certain approved courses be in receipt of veterans benefits or other Federal grants.

Revises the definition of "unsatisfactory progress" to include those situations where a veteran is not progressing at a rate which will allow the veteran to graduate within the normal period of time for completion of his studies.

Codifies existing regulations regarding payment to an eligible veteran who is pursuing an independent study program which leads to a standard college degree.

Permits veterans to continue and complete work-study agreements even if such veteran ceases to be a full-time student.

=Title III: Chapter 35 Survivor's and Dependents' Educational Assistance Rate and Program Adjustments= - Provides an eight percent increase in the education assistance allowance paid survivors of veterans who died of service-connected causes, and dependents of seriously disabled veterans.

Provides up to 45 months of eligibility for survivors' and dependents' training.

Extends the eligibility period for children's educational assistance benefits.

=Title IV: Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Act - Post Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act= - Declares the purposes of this Act to be: (1) to provide educational assistance to those entering the Armed Forces after December 31, 1976; (2) to assist persons in obtaining an education; and (3) to assist the all volunteer military program in attracting qualified men and women.

Provides that contributions by those service persons who elected to participate in the educational assistance programs shall be made by deductions from such persons' military pay. Permits a maximum of $2,700 to be contributed by any one participant. Entitles such participant to matching funds at the rate of $2 for each dollar contributed by the participant. Authorizes the refund of the contributions made by a participant upon disenrollment.

Entitles a participant to a maximum of 36 monthly benefit payments, or their equivalent in the event the eligible veteran receives part-time benefit payments.

Terminates the eligibility for educational assistance ten years after the date of the veteran's last discharge or release from active duty.

Requires that an effective outreach program be implemented to acquaint all persons entering or considering entering into the Armed Forces with the benefits of such program.

Requires the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense to submit a joint report to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs within 90 days of enactment of this Act delineating their plans for the implementation of the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Program.

=Title V: Chapter 36 Education Loan And Program Administration Amendments= - Increases by eight percent the monthly training assistance allowance paid to eligible veterans or persons pursuing a full program of apprenticeship or other on-job training. Provides similar increases for those pursuing a program of education by correspondence.

Increases to $1,500 the maximum annual direct education loan available to eligible veterans, survivors and dependents.

Increases by eight percent the allowances payable by the Administrator for administrative expenses incurred by State approving agencies.

Prohibits the payment of benefits for the auditing of courses.

States that the date of interruption or termination in a program of education shall be the last date the veteran or eligible person pursued such course.

Reduces the required number of clock hours in certain vocational objective courses necessary to qualify as a full time course.

Provides that the records and accounts of educational institutions pertaining to eligible veterans and persons who received educational assistance are to be available for examination by the Government.

Requires annual compliance surveys of institutions which enroll eligible veterans.

=Title VI: Veterans' Employment Assistance Provisions= - Establishes within the Department of Labor a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment.

Directs such individual to advise the Secretary on the formulation and implementation of veterans' employment programs.

=Title VII: Miscellaneous and Effective Date= - Prohibits the assignment of veterans' benefits. Provides that specified provisions of this Act shall become effective on October 1, 1976.