Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 8216 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 Mr. GALLEGO (for himself, Mr. COLE, Ms. HAALAND, and Mr. COOK) intro- duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet- erans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program. 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 ‘‘Native VetSuccess at 4 Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. NATIVE VETSUCCESS AT TRIBAL COLLEGES AND 6 UNIVERSITIES PILOT PROGRAM. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 8 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 8216 IH Veterans Affairs shall carry out a five-year pilot program, 1 to be known as the ‘‘Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges 2 and Universities Pilot Program’’. Under such pilot pro- 3 gram the Secretary shall— 4 (1) identify three regional Native VetSuccess 5 service areas consisting of at least two participating 6 Tribal colleges or universities; 7 (2) assign to each regional Native VetSuccess 8 service area a VetSuccess on Campus counselor and 9 a full-time Vet Center outreach coordinator, both of 10 which shall be based on one or more of the partici- 11 pating Tribal colleges or universities in the service 12 area; and 13 (3) provide for eligible students at such partici- 14 pating colleges and universities with all services for 15 which such students would be eligible under the 16 VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department 17 of Veterans Affairs. 18 (b) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—For purposes of the pilot 19 program, an eligible student is a student who is a veteran, 20 member of the Armed Forces, or dependent of a veteran 21 or member of the Armed Forces who is eligible for any 22 service or benefit under the VetSuccess on Campus pro- 23 gram of the Department. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 8216 IH (c) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In developing 1 the pilot program under this section, the Secretary, acting 2 through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 3 Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs and in 4 coordination with the Office of Tribal Government Rela- 5 tions of the Department, shall consult with Indian tribes, 6 Tribal organizations, and veterans service organizations 7 regarding each of the following: 8 (1) The design of the pilot program. 9 (2) The selection of the three regional Native 10 VetSuccess service areas and participating Tribal 11 colleges and universities, taking into consideration— 12 (A) the number of eligible students en- 13 rolled in the college or university and in the re- 14 gional service area; 15 (B) the capacity of the colleges and univer- 16 sities in the regional service area to accommo- 17 date a full-time VetSuccess on Campus coun- 18 selor and a full-time Vet Center outreach coor- 19 dinator; 20 (C) the lack of information available at the 21 colleges and universities in the regional service 22 area about and lack of access to benefits and 23 services under the laws administered by the 24 Secretary; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 8216 IH (D) any other factor that the Secretary or 1 the Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and vet- 2 erans service organizations identify as relevant. 3 (3) The most effective way to provide culturally 4 competent outreach and services to eligible students 5 at Tribal colleges and universities. 6 (d) OUTREACH TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.— 7 The Secretary shall provide notice of the pilot program 8 to all Tribal colleges and universities and encourage all 9 Tribal colleges and universities to coordinate with each 10 other to create regional service areas to participate in the 11 pilot program. 12 (e) BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.— 13 (1) IMPLEMENTATION BRIEFING.—Not later 14 than one year after the date of the enactment of this 15 Act, the Secretary shall provide for the Committee 16 on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Natural 17 Resources of the House of Representatives and the 18 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 19 on Indian Affairs of the Senate a briefing on— 20 (A) the design, structure, and objectives of 21 the pilot program; and 22 (B) the three regional Native Vet Success 23 service areas and the Tribal colleges and uni- 24 versities selected for participation in the pilot 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 8216 IH program and the reason for the selection of 1 such service areas and such colleges and univer- 2 sities. 3 (2) REPORT.—Not later than four years after 4 the date on which the Secretary establishes the pilot 5 program, the Secretary shall submit to such Com- 6 mittees a report on the pilot program. Such report 7 shall include each of the following: 8 (A) The number of eligible students pro- 9 vided services through the pilot program. 10 (B) The types of services that eligible stu- 11 dents received through the pilot program. 12 (C) The graduation rate of eligible stu- 13 dents who received services through the pilot 14 program. 15 (D) The rate of employment within one 16 year of graduation for eligible students who re- 17 ceived services through the pilot program. 18 (E) Feedback from each Tribal college or 19 university that participated in the pilot pro- 20 gram, including on the regional nature of the 21 program. 22 (F) Analysis of the feasibility of expanding 23 a regionally based Native VetSuccess at Tribal 24 Colleges and Universities Program, including 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 8216 IH any challenges of such a model due to distance, 1 communication, coordination, and level of 2 unmet services. 3 (G) A detailed legislative proposal regard- 4 ing a long-term extension of the pilot program, 5 including a budget, if the Secretary determines 6 that such an extension is appropriate. 7 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 8 (1) The term ‘‘Tribal college or university’’ has 9 the meaning given such term under section 316 of 10 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 11 1059c). 12 (2) The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ has the 13 meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian 14 Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 15 (25 U.S.C. 450b). 16 (3) The term ‘‘culturally competent’’ means 17 considerate of the unique values, customs, traditions, 18 cultures, and languages of Native American vet- 19 erans. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:03 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H8216.IH H8216 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS