S.Amdt. 3768

1. Rewrites page 113, line 15 through page 115, line 2

   ReplacesPrinted page

   Removes page 113, line 15 through page 115, line 2 of the printed bill. See that page

   Inserted: (b) Availability of Higher Education Component Online.--

   Inserted: (1) Members of the armed forces.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program is available to members of the Armed Forces on an Internet website of the Department of Defense so that members have an option to complete such component electronically and remotely.

   Inserted: (2) Veterans.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program is available to veterans and their dependents on an Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affair so that veterans and their dependents have an option to complete such component electronically and remotely.

   Inserted: (c) Notice of Availability of Higher Education Component Upon Request for Certificate of Entitlement to Certain Educational Assistance.--

   Inserted: (1) Tuition assistance.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--Whenever a member of the Armed Forces requests a certificate from the Secretary of Defense to prove entitlement to educational assistance under section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary shall notify the member of the availability of the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program online pursuant to subsection (b)(1).

   Inserted: (B) Guidance required.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out this paragraph with such guidance as the Secretary considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (2) Post-9/11 educational assistance.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--Whenever a veteran or a dependent of a veteran requests a certificate from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prove entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary shall notify the veteran or dependent of the availability of the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program online pursuant to subsection (b)(2).

   Inserted: (B) Guidance required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out this paragraph with such guidance as the Secretary considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (d) Tracking Completion of Higher Education Component Online.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a mechanism to track the completion by veterans and their dependents of the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program made available online pursuant to subsection (b)(2).

   Show 40 more inserted paragraphsShow less

   Inserted: (2) Notice to congress.--When the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has completed development of the mechanism required by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress notice of such completion.

   Inserted: (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits notice under subsection (d)(2), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on--

   Inserted: (1) the number of veterans and the number of dependents to whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provided notice pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(A); and

   Inserted: (2) the number of veterans and the number of dependents who completed the higher education component of the Transition Assistance Program electronically and remotely.

   Inserted: (f) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) The term "institution of higher learning" has the meaning given such term in section 3452 of title 38, United States Code.

   Inserted: (2) The term "type of institution of higher learning" means the following types of institutions of higher learning:

   Inserted: (A) An educational institution described in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).

   Inserted: (B) An educational institution described in subsection (b) of section 102 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1002).

   Inserted: (C) An educational institution described in subsection (c) of such section.

   Inserted: SEC. 534. SHARING OF INFORMATION AMONG DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO FACILITATE ASSESSMENT.

   Inserted: (a) Sharing of Information to Assess Student Loan Debt.--

   Inserted: (1) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop and implement a plan to share information that will enable the Secretary of Education to distinguish members of the Armed Forces and veterans in the student loan databases of the Department of Education for the purposes of determining aggregate information on student loan debt incurred by the member and veteran populations.

   Inserted: (2) Elements of information shared by secretary of veterans affairs.--Information to be shared by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from databases of the Department of Veterans Affairs under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) The type and extent of educational assistance provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, including chapters 30 and 33 of title 38, United States Code.

   Inserted: (B) The names of the educational institutions at which individuals pursue programs of education with educational assistance provided under such laws.

   Inserted: (C) The extent of assistance provided under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program.

   Inserted: (D) The degree of exhaustion of entitlement to such assistance.

   Inserted: (E) To what degree an overpayment of such assistance is made.

   Inserted: (F) Such other information as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Education consider appropriate.

   Inserted: (b) Annual Report on Student Loan Debt Incurred by Veterans.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit to Congress a report on debt incurred by veterans to pursue programs of education at institutions of higher learning.

   Inserted: (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) The extent of debt incurred by veterans to pursue programs of education at institutions of higher learning, disaggregated by type of institution of higher learning, including the following:

   Inserted: (i) How the debt compares to the debt incurred by individuals who are not veterans.

   Inserted: (ii) The status of repayment of and default on such debt and how that compares to the repayment of and default on debt incurred by individuals who are not veterans to pursue programs of education at institutions of higher learning.

   Inserted: (iii) The proportion of veterans who do not incur any Federal student loan debt to pursue a program of education at an institution of higher learning.

   Inserted: (B) Assessment and analysis of the factors that contribute to the debt incurred by veterans in their pursuit of programs of education at institutions of higher learning, disaggregated by type of institution of higher learning, including the following:

   Inserted: (i) The extent of coverage of educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: (ii) The exhaustion of entitlement to educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: (iii) The availability of assistance under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program.

   Inserted: (iv) Such other factors as the Secretary of Education considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (C) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Education may have for legislative or administrative action to address such issues as the Secretary of Education may have identified concerning debt incurred by veterans to pursue programs of education at institutions of higher learning.

   Inserted: (c) Sharing of Information on Institutions of Higher Learning.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish an automated system to enable the Department of Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense to more efficiently share information pertaining to the same institutions of higher learning.

   Inserted: (d) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) The term "institution of higher learning" has the meaning given such term in section 3452 of title 38, United States Code.

   Inserted: (2) The term "type of institution of higher learning" means the following types of institutions of higher learning:

   Inserted: (A) An educational institution described in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).

   Inserted: (B) An educational institution described in subsection (b) of section 102 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1002).

   Inserted: (C) An educational institution described in subsection (c) of such section.

   Original wording

   Beginning on page 113, strike line 15 and all that follows through page 115, line 2, and insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed