119-hr1458

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1458 Reported in House

    (RH) ]

<DOC>

 Union Calendar No. 262
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1458

 [Report No. 119-308]

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for 
 approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the 
 educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 21, 2025

Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
 Affairs

 September 26, 2025

 Additional sponsors: Mr. Hudson, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Soto, 
 Mr. McDowell, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Vindman, and Mr. Vasquez

 September 26, 2025

 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
 House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
 in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
 February 21, 2025]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for 
 approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the 
 educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Education and Technical 
Skills Opportunity Act of 2025'' or the ``VETS Opportunity Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS 
 TOWARDS POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE: TIMING; 
 MECHANISM FOR INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MONTHLY 
 HOUSING STIPEND.

    (a) In General.--Subsection

    (f) of 

section 3327 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``together'' and all that 
 follows through ``before'' and inserting ``not later than 60 
 days after''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
 ``

    (4) Additional assistance for an individual not eligible 
 for a monthly housing stipend.--In the case of an individual 
 making an election under subsection

    (a) who is described by 
 subparagraph
        (A) ,
            (C) , or
        (E) of paragraph

    (1) of that 
 subsection, and who is not eligible for a monthly stipend 
 payable under 

section 3313
            (c) of this title, the educational 
 assistance payable to the individual under this chapter shall 
 be paid--
 ``
        (A) in a lump sum calculated by multiplying--
 ``
            (i) the total amount of contributions 
 described in paragraph

    (1)
        (A) with regards to 
 such individual; and
 ``
            (ii) the sum of the number of months 
 described in subclauses
            (I) and
            (II) of 
 paragraph

    (1)
        (B)
            (i) with regards to such 
 individual; and
 ``
        (B) to the individual not later than 60 days 
 after the exhaustion of the individual's entitlement to 
 educational assistance under this chapter.''.

    (b) Technical Corrections and Conforming Amendment.--Such 
subsection is further amended--

    (1) by striking ``paragraphs

    (2) through

    (7) '' and 
 inserting ``paragraphs

    (2) through

    (6) ''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (1) , in the heading, by inserting ``for an 
 individual eligible for a monthly housing stipend'' after 
 ``Additional assistance''.
            (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on August 1, 2025.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS UNDER 
 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
 AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--

Section 3680A

    (a)

    (4)
        (A)
            (ii) 
            (III) of such title is 
amended--

    (1) by inserting ``that requires regular and substantive 
 interaction between students and instructors'' after ``course 
 of study'';

    (2) in item

    (aa) , by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
 semicolon;

    (3) in item

    (bb) , by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``; 
 or''; and

    (4) by adding at the end by following new item:
 ``
            (cc) an institution of 
 higher education, as such term 
 is defined in 

section 102 of 
 the Higher Education Act of 
 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002), that is 
 approved to participate or 
 participating in the student 
 financial assistance programs 
 authorized by title IV of that 
 Act; and''.

    (b) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection

    (a) shall 
apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, that 
begins on or after August 1, 2025.

SEC. 4. ABSENCE FROM CERTAIN EDUCATION DUE TO CERTAIN SERVICE.

    (a) Options.--

Section 3691A of such title is amended by striking 
paragraph

    (1) of subsection

    (a) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (1) A covered member may, after receiving orders to enter a 
period of covered service--
 ``
        (A) withdraw from covered education;
 ``
        (B) take a leave of absence from covered education; or
 ``
            (C) subject to subsection
            (d) , enter into an agreement 
 with the institution concerned to complete a course of covered 
 education to the satisfaction of such institution concerned.''.

    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Such subsection is further amended, in 
paragraph

    (2)
        (A) , by striking ``or takes a leave of absence'' and 
inserting ``, takes a leave of absence, or enters into an agreement''.
            (c) Agreement.--Such section is further amended--

    (1) by redesignating subsection
            (d) as subsection

    (e) ; and

    (2) by inserting, after subsection
            (c) , the following new 
 subsection
            (d) :
 ``
            (d) Agreement With Institution Concerned.--A covered member may 
enter into an agreement under subsection

    (a) only if the covered member 
has completed at least half of a course of covered education.''.
            (d) Section Heading.--Such section is further amended by striking 
the heading and inserting ``Absence from certain education due to 
certain service''.

    (e) Table of Sections.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 36 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 

section 3691A and inserting the following new item:

``3691A. Absence from certain education due to certain service.''.

SEC. 5. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE SURVEYS.

 

Section 3693 of such title is amended--

    (1) in subsection
            (c) --
        (A) by striking ``not more than 10 business days of 
 notice'';
        (B) by striking ``this section.'' and inserting 
 ``this section--''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following new 
 paragraphs:
 ``

    (1) in the case of an educational institution or training 
 establishment with a time stamp database collection feature, 
 not fewer than 10, and not more than 15, business days of 
 notice; and
 ``

    (2) in the case of any other educational institution or 
 training establishment, not more than 10 business days of 
 notice.''; and

    (2) by striking subsection
            (d) and inserting the following 
 new subsection
            (d) :
 ``
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) The terms `educational institution' and `training 
 establishment' have the meanings given such terms in 

section 3452 of this title.
 ``

    (2) The term `school certifying official' means an 
 employee of an educational institution with primary 
 responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
 educational institution.''.

SEC. 6. NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS OF HANDBOOK 
 UPDATES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 14 business days after updating the 
school certifying official handbook of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide notice to all 
school certifying officials of such update.

    (b) School Certifying Official Defined.--The term ``school 
certifying official'' means an employee of an educational institution 
with primary responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
educational institution.

SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

 

Section 5503
            (d) (7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``March 31, 2033''.
 Union Calendar No. 262

119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 H. R. 1458

 [Report No. 119-308]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for 
 approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the 
 educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 September 26, 2025

 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
 House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed