A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as programs of education pursued at educational institutions, and for other purposes.

II 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 3450 To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as programs of edu- cation pursued at educational institutions, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 11, 2020 Mr. MORAN (for himself, Mr. TESTER, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mrs. BLACKBURN, and Mr. BOOZMAN) intro- duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com- mittee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat cer- tain programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergencies and health-related situations in the same manner as programs of education pursued at educational institutions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Mar 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3450.IS S3450 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 3450 IS SECTION 1. CONTINUATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VET- 1 ERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 2 BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS OF EDU- 3 CATION CONVERTED TO DISTANCE LEARN- 4 ING BY REASON OF EMERGENCIES AND 5 HEALTH-RELATED SITUATIONS. 6 (a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a program of edu- 7 cation approved by a State approving agency, or the Sec- 8 retary of Veterans Affairs when acting in the role of a 9 State approving agency, that is converted from being of- 10 fered on-site at an educational institution to being offered 11 by distance learning by reason of an emergency or health- 12 related situation, as determined by the Secretary, the Sec- 13 retary may continue to provide educational assistance 14 under the laws administered by the Secretary without re- 15 gard to such conversion, including with respect to paying 16 any— 17 (1) monthly housing stipends under chapter 33 18 of title 38, United States Code; or 19 (2) payments or subsistence allowances under 20 chapters 30, 31, 32, and 35 of such title and chap- 21 ters 1606 and 1607 of title 10, United States Code. 22 (b) APPLICABILITY PERIOD.—Subsection (a) shall 23 apply during the period beginning on March 1, 2020, and 24 ending on December 21, 2020. 25 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Mar 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3450.IS S3450 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 3450 IS (1) EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.—The term 1 ‘‘educational institution’’ has the meaning given that 2 term in section 3452 of title 38, United States Code, 3 and includes an institution of higher learning (as de- 4 fined in such section). 5 (2) PROGRAM OF EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘pro- 6 gram of education’’ has the meaning given that term 7 in section 3002 of title 38, United States Code. 8 (3) STATE APPROVING AGENCY.—The term 9 ‘‘State approving agency’’ has the meaning given 10 that term in section 3671 of title 38, United States 11 Code. 12 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY DESIGNATIONS. 13 (a) IN GENERAL.—This Act is designated as an 14 emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the 15 Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)). 16 (b) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate, this 17 Act is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant 18 to section 4112(a) of S. Con. Res. 3 (115th Congress), 19 the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 20 2018. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Mar 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S3450.IS S3450 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS