Veteran Education Empowerment Act

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 498 To reauthorize and improve a grant program to assist institutions of higher education in establishing, maintaining, improving, and operating Student Veteran Centers. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 16, 2023 Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. RUBIO) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •S 498 IS (2) Veterans face unique challenges in 1 transitioning from the battlefield to the classroom 2 and eventually to the workforce, including: age dif- 3 ferences, family obligations, significant time away 4 from academic life, and service-related disabilities. 5 (3) The National Education Association found 6 that student veterans can feel lonely and vulnerable 7 on campus and that ‘‘connecting student veterans 8 can effectively ease this isolation’’ by bringing to- 9 gether new student veterans with those who have al- 10 ready successfully navigated the first few semesters 11 of college. 12 (4) According to Mission United—a United 13 Way program that helps veterans re-acclimate to ci- 14 vilian life—it is often ‘‘essential’’ for student vet- 15 erans to be mentored by ‘‘another veteran who un- 16 derstands their mindset and experience’’. 17 (5) Student Veteran Centers are recognized as 18 an institutional best practice by Student Veterans of 19 America. 20 (6) The American Council on Education, which 21 represents more than 1,700 institutions of higher 22 education across the United States, has called hav- 23 ing a dedicated space for veterans on campus ‘‘a 24 promising way for colleges and universities to better 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •S 498 IS 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •S 498 IS veterans feel better connected across campus, and 1 have directly contributed to the successful academic 2 outcomes of student veterans. 3 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND 4 IMPROVE STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS. 5 Part T of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 6 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161t) is amended to read as follows: 7 ‘‘PART T—GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN 8 CENTERS 9 ‘‘SEC. 873. GRANTS FOR STUDENT VETERAN CENTERS. 10 ‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the avail- 11 ability of appropriations under subsection (h), the Sec- 12 retary shall award grants to institutions of higher edu- 13 cation or consortia of institutions of higher education to 14 assist in the establishment, maintenance, improvement, 15 and operation of Student Veteran Centers. 16 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 17 ‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—An institution or consor- 18 tium seeking a grant under subsection (a) shall sub- 19 mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 20 such manner, and containing such information as 21 the Secretary may require. 22 ‘‘(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary may award a 23 grant under subsection (a) to an institution or a 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •S 498 IS 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •S 498 IS at comparable institutions or consortia of institu- 1 tions. 2 ‘‘(B) The institution or consortium pre- 3 sents a sustainability plan to demonstrate that 4 the Student Veteran Center will be maintained 5 and will continue to operate after the grant pe- 6 riod has ended. 7 ‘‘(3) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In awarding 8 grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall pro- 9 vide the following: 10 ‘‘(A) Priority consideration to institutions 11 or consortia that meet one or more of the fol- 12 lowing criteria: 13 ‘‘(i) The institution or consortium is 14 located in a region or community that has 15 a significant population of veterans. 16 ‘‘(ii) The institution or consortium 17 considers the need to serve student vet- 18 erans at a wide range of institutions of 19 higher education, including the need to 20 provide equitable distribution of grants to 21 institutions of various sizes, geographic lo- 22 cations, and institutions in urban and 23 rural areas. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •S 498 IS ‘‘(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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •S 498 IS ‘‘(I) is separate from the new 1 student orientation provided by the in- 2 stitution or consortium; and 3 ‘‘(II) provides student veterans 4 with information on the benefits and 5 resources available to such students at 6 or through the institution or consor- 7 tium. 8 ‘‘(vii) The institution or consortium 9 commits to using a portion of the grant re- 10 ceived under this section to develop or 11 maintain a student veteran retention pro- 12 gram carried out by the Student Veteran 13 Center. 14 ‘‘(viii) The institution or consortium 15 commits to providing mental health coun- 16 seling to its student veterans (and the 17 spouses or partners and children of such 18 students). 19 ‘‘(B) Equitable distribution of such grants 20 to institutions or consortia of various sizes, geo- 21 graphic locations, and in urban and rural areas. 22 ‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.— 23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An institution or consor- 24 tium that is awarded a grant under subsection (a) 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •S 498 IS 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •S 498 IS ‘‘(e) REPORT.—From the amounts appropriated to 1 carry out this section, and not later than 3 years after 2 the date on which the first grant is awarded under sub- 3 section (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re- 4 port on the grant program established under subsection 5 (a), including— 6 ‘‘(1) the number of grants awarded; 7 ‘‘(2) the institutions of higher education and 8 consortia that have received grants; 9 ‘‘(3) with respect to each such institution of 10 higher education and consortium— 11 ‘‘(A) the amounts awarded; 12 ‘‘(B) how such institution or consortium 13 used such amounts; 14 ‘‘(C) a description of the demographics of 15 student veterans (and spouses or partners and 16 children of such students) to whom services 17 were offered as a result of the award, including 18 students who are women and belong to minority 19 groups; 20 ‘‘(D) the number of student veterans (and 21 spouses or partners and children of such stu- 22 dents) to whom services were offered as a result 23 of the award, and a description of the services 24 that were offered and provided; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 11 •S 498 IS ‘‘(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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 12 •S 498 IS on a campus of an institution of higher education 1 that provides students who are veterans, members of 2 the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or mem- 3 bers of a reserve component of the Armed Forces 4 with the following: 5 ‘‘(A) A lounge or meeting space for such 6 student veterans (and the spouses or partners 7 and children of such students), and veterans in 8 the community. 9 ‘‘(B) A centralized office for student vet- 10 eran services that— 11 ‘‘(i) is a single point of contact to co- 12 ordinate comprehensive support services 13 for student veterans; 14 ‘‘(ii) is staffed by trained employees 15 and volunteers, which includes veterans 16 and at least one full-time employee or vol- 17 unteer who is trained as a veterans’ bene- 18 fits counselor; 19 ‘‘(iii) provides student veterans with 20 assistance relating to— 21 ‘‘(I) transitioning from the mili- 22 tary to student life; 23 ‘‘(II) transitioning from the mili- 24 tary to the civilian workforce; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:23 Mar 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S498.IS S498 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 13 •S 498 IS [Text truncated for display. 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