What This Bill Does
This bill creates a grant program that gives money to colleges and universities to establish, maintain, improve and operate Student Veteran Centers. These centers provide dedicated spaces and services to help student veterans succeed in college.
##
Who It Affects
- Student veterans attending colleges and universities
- Active duty military members enrolled in college courses
- Reserve component members enrolled in college courses
- Spouses, partners and children of student veterans
- Colleges and universities receiving grants
- The Department of Education
- Congress (receives progress reports)
##
Key Provisions
- The Department of Education awards grants to colleges or groups of colleges to establish and operate Student Veteran Centers (Sec. 3(a))
- Grant money can establish centers, maintain existing centers, improve centers, operate centers, or provide support services like help with admissions and tutoring for student veterans (Sec. 3(c))
- Colleges are eligible to receive grants if they enroll a significant number or percentage of student veterans, active duty military members, or reserve members compared to similar colleges, and provide a plan to keep the center operating after the grant ends (Sec. 3(b))
- The Secretary of Education must prioritize colleges that hire veterans as staff, provide orientation programs for student veterans, and offer mental health counseling to student veterans and their families (Sec. 3(b)(3))
- Each grant lasts 4 years and cannot exceed $500,000 total (Sec. 3(d))
- The Secretary must create a website with best practices for serving student veterans at colleges and submit a report to Congress within 3 years about how the grant money was used and whether the program should continue or expand (Sec. 3(e) and (f))
##
What Changes
The bill updates the existing Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success program under federal education law. It expands what colleges can do with grant money and adds new eligibility requirements and priorities for which colleges receive grants. The bill requires colleges to describe how they will keep their centers running after the grant period ends. It also requires the Department of Education to create a website sharing best practices and report back to Congress.
##
Important Definitions
**Institution of Higher Education:** Defined elsewhere in federal education law (section 101).
**Student Veteran Center:** A dedicated space on a college campus that provides student veterans, active duty military members, and reserve members with a lounge or meeting space, and a centralized office staffed by trained employees (including at least one full-time veterans' benefits counselor) that helps with transitioning from military to college life, finding jobs, networking with other veterans, understanding benefits, succeeding academically, and understanding disability rights.
##
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1078
To reauthorize and improve a grant program to assist institutions of higher
education in establishing, maintaining, improving, and operating Student
Veteran Centers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida (for herself, Mr. WALTZ, and Mr. BILIRAKIS)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To reauthorize and improve a grant program to assist insti-
tutions of higher education in establishing, maintaining,
improving, and operating Student Veteran Centers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Education
4
Empowerment Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
6
Congress finds the following:
7
(1) More than 1,000,000 veterans attend insti-
8
tutions of higher education each year.
9
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(2)
Veterans
face
unique
challenges
in
1
transitioning from the battlefield to the classroom
2
and eventually to the workforce, including: age dif-
3
ferences, family obligations, significant time away
4
from academic life, and service-related disabilities.
5
(3) The National Education Association found
6
that student veterans can feel lonely and vulnerable
7
on campus and that ‘‘connecting student veterans
8
can effectively ease this isolation’’ by bringing to-
9
gether new student veterans with those who have al-
10
ready successfully navigated the first few semesters
11
of college.
12
(4) According to Mission United—a United
13
Way program that helps veterans re-acclimate to ci-
14
vilian life—it is often ‘‘essential’’ for student vet-
15
erans to be mentored by ‘‘another veteran who un-
16
derstands their mindset and experience’’.
17
(5) Student Veteran Centers are recognized as
18
an institutional best practice by Student Veterans of
19
America.
20
(6) The American Council on Education, which
21
represents more than 1,700 institutions of higher
22
education across the United States, has called hav-
23
ing a dedicated space for veterans on campus ‘‘a
24
promising way for colleges and universities to better
25
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serve veterans on campus’’ and a ‘‘critical’’ compo-
1
nent of many colleges’ efforts to serve their student
2
veterans.
3
(7) The Department of Education included as
4
one of its 8 Keys to Veterans’ Success that colleges
5
and universities should ‘‘coordinate and centralize
6
campus efforts for all veterans, together with the
7
creation of a designated space for them’’.
8
(8) Budget constraints often make it difficult or
9
impossible for institutions of higher education to
10
dedicate space to veteran offices, lounges, or student
11
centers.
12
(9) The 110th Congress authorized the funding
13
of Student Veteran Centers through the Centers of
14
Excellence for Veteran Student Success under part
15
T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965
16
(20 U.S.C. 1161t). Congress also chose to appro-
17
priate funding for this program in subsequent years,
18
most recently for fiscal year 2023 under the Consoli-
19
dated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117–
20
328).
21
(10) According to the Department of Edu-
22
cation, federally funded Student Veteran Centers
23
and staff have generated improved recruitment, re-
24
tention, and graduation rates, have helped student
25
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veterans feel better connected across campus, and
1
have directly contributed to the successful academic
2
outcomes of student veterans.
3
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND
4
IMPROVE STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS.
5
Part T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of
6
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t) is amended to read as follows:
7
‘‘PART T—GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN
8
CENTERS
9
‘‘SEC. 873. GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS.
10
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the avail-
11
ability of appropriations under subsection (h), the Sec-
12
retary shall award grants to institutions of higher edu-
13
cation or consortia of institutions of higher education to
14
assist in the establishment, maintenance, improvement,
15
and operation of Student Veteran Centers.
16
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—
17
‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—An institution or consor-
18
tium seeking a grant under subsection (a) shall sub-
19
mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
20
such manner, and containing such information as
21
the Secretary may require.
22
‘‘(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary may award a
23
grant under subsection (a) to an institution or a
24
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consortium if the institution or consortium meets
1
each of the following criteria:
2
‘‘(A) The institution or consortium enrolls
3
in undergraduate or graduate courses—
4
‘‘(i) a significant number of student
5
veterans, members of the Armed Forces
6
serving on active duty, or members of a re-
7
serve component of the Armed Forces; or
8
‘‘(ii) a significant percentage of stu-
9
dent veterans, members of the Armed
10
Forces serving on active duty, or members
11
of a reserve component of the Armed
12
Forces,
13
as measured by comparing, for the most recent aca-
14
demic year for which data are available, the number
15
or percentage of student veterans, members of the
16
Armed Forces serving on active duty, and members
17
of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who are
18
enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses at the
19
institution or consortium, with the average number
20
or percentage of student veterans, members of the
21
Armed Forces serving on active duty, and members
22
of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who
23
were enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses
24
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at comparable institutions or consortia of institu-
1
tions.
2
‘‘(B) The institution or consortium pre-
3
sents a sustainability plan to demonstrate that
4
the Student Veteran Center will be maintained
5
and will continue to operate after the grant pe-
6
riod has ended.
7
‘‘(3)
SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In
awarding
8
grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall pro-
9
vide the following:
10
‘‘(A) Priority consideration to institutions
11
or consortia that meet one or more of the fol-
12
lowing criteria:
13
‘‘(i) The institution or consortium is
14
located in a region or community that has
15
a significant population of veterans.
16
‘‘(ii) The institution or consortium
17
considers the need to serve student vet-
18
erans at a wide range of institutions of
19
higher education, including the need to
20
provide equitable distribution of grants to
21
institutions of various sizes, geographic lo-
22
cations, and institutions in urban and
23
rural areas.
24
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‘‘(iii) The institution or consortium
1
carries out programs or activities that as-
2
sist veterans in the local community, and
3
the spouses or partners and children of
4
student veterans.
5
‘‘(iv) The institution or consortium
6
partners in its veteran-specific program-
7
ming with nonprofit veteran service organi-
8
zations, local workforce development orga-
9
nizations, or other institutions of higher
10
education.
11
‘‘(v) The institution or consortium
12
commits to hiring a staff at the Student
13
Veteran Center that includes veterans (in-
14
cluding student veteran volunteers and stu-
15
dent veterans participating in a Federal
16
work-study program under part C of title
17
IV, a work-study program administered by
18
the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, or a
19
State work-study program).
20
‘‘(vi) The institution or consortium
21
commits to providing an orientation for
22
student veterans that—
23
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‘‘(I) is separate from the new
1
student orientation provided by the in-
2
stitution or consortium; and
3
‘‘(II) provides student veterans
4
with information on the benefits and
5
resources available to such students at
6
or through the institution or consor-
7
tium.
8
‘‘(vii) The institution or consortium
9
commits to using a portion of the grant re-
10
ceived under this section to develop or
11
maintain a student veteran retention pro-
12
gram carried out by the Student Veteran
13
Center.
14
‘‘(viii) The institution or consortium
15
commits to providing mental health coun-
16
seling to its student veterans (and the
17
spouses or partners and children of such
18
students).
19
‘‘(B) Equitable distribution of such grants
20
to institutions or consortia of various sizes, geo-
21
graphic locations, and in urban and rural areas.
22
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—
23
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An institution or consor-
24
tium that is awarded a grant under subsection (a)
25
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shall use such grant to establish, maintain, improve,
1
or operate a Student Veteran Center.
2
‘‘(2) OTHER ALLOWABLE USES.—An institution
3
or consortium receiving a grant under subsection (a)
4
may use a portion of such grant to carry out sup-
5
portive instruction services for student veterans, in-
6
cluding—
7
‘‘(A) assistance with special admissions
8
and transfer of credit from previous postsec-
9
ondary education or experience; and
10
‘‘(B) any other support services the insti-
11
tution or consortium determines to be necessary
12
to ensure the success of student veterans in
13
achieving education and career goals.
14
‘‘(d) AMOUNTS AWARDED.—
15
‘‘(1) DURATION.—Each grant awarded under
16
subsection (a) shall be for a 4-year period.
17
‘‘(2) TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANT AND SCHED-
18
ULE.—Each grant awarded under subsection (a)
19
may not exceed a total of $500,000. The Secretary
20
shall disburse to an institution or consortium the
21
amount awarded under the grant in such amounts
22
and at such times during the grant period as the
23
Secretary determines appropriate.
24
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‘‘(e) REPORT.—From the amounts appropriated to
1
carry out this section, and not later than 3 years after
2
the date on which the first grant is awarded under sub-
3
section (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
4
port on the grant program established under subsection
5
(a), including—
6
‘‘(1) the number of grants awarded;
7
‘‘(2) the institutions of higher education and
8
consortia that have received grants;
9
‘‘(3) with respect to each such institution of
10
higher education and consortium—
11
‘‘(A) the amounts awarded;
12
‘‘(B) how such institution or consortium
13
used such amounts;
14
‘‘(C) a description of the demographics of
15
student veterans (and spouses or partners and
16
children of such students) to whom services
17
were offered as a result of the award, including
18
students who are women and belong to minority
19
groups;
20
‘‘(D) the number of student veterans (and
21
spouses or partners and children of such stu-
22
dents) to whom services were offered as a result
23
of the award, and a description of the services
24
that were offered and provided; and
25
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‘‘(E) data enumerating whether the use of
1
the amounts awarded helped student veterans
2
at the institution or consortium toward comple-
3
tion of a degree, certificate, or credential;
4
‘‘(4) best practices for student veteran success,
5
identified by reviewing data provided by institutions
6
and consortia that received a grant under this sec-
7
tion; and
8
‘‘(5) a determination by the Secretary with re-
9
spect to whether the grant program under this sec-
10
tion should be extended or expanded.
11
‘‘(f) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BEST PRACTICES
12
WEBSITE.—Subject to the availability of appropriations
13
under subsection (h) and not later than 3 years after the
14
date on which the first grant is awarded under subsection
15
(a), the Secretary shall develop and implement a website
16
for Student Veteran Centers at institutions of higher edu-
17
cation, which details best practices for serving student vet-
18
erans at institutions of higher education.
19
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
20
‘‘(1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—
21
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the
22
meaning given the term in section 101.
23
‘‘(2) STUDENT VETERAN CENTER.—The term
24
‘Student Veteran Center’ means a dedicated space
25
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on a campus of an institution of higher education
1
that provides students who are veterans, members of
2
the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or mem-
3
bers of a reserve component of the Armed Forces
4
with the following:
5
‘‘(A) A lounge or meeting space for such
6
student veterans (and the spouses or partners
7
and children of such students), and veterans in
8
the community.
9
‘‘(B) A centralized office for student vet-
10
eran services that—
11
‘‘(i) is a single point of contact to co-
12
ordinate comprehensive support services
13
for student veterans;
14
‘‘(ii) is staffed by trained employees
15
and volunteers, which includes veterans
16
and at least one full-time employee or vol-
17
unteer who is trained as a veterans’ bene-
18
fits counselor;
19
‘‘(iii) provides student veterans with
20
assistance relating to—
21
‘‘(I) transitioning from the mili-
22
tary to student life;
23
‘‘(II) transitioning from the mili-
24
tary to the civilian workforce;
25
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[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]