S.Amdt. 3263

SA 3263. Mr. COONS (for himself and Ms. Ernst) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

SEC. 10__. AUTHORITY FOR USE OF CERTAIN VETERANS EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE FOR EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS TO
RECEIVE CREDIT TOWARD DEGREES AWARDED BY
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

(a) In General.--An individual who is entitled to veterans
educational assistance may use such assistance to cover the
costs of covered examinations and assessments to receive
credit toward degrees awarded by institutions of higher
learning for approved programs of education.
(b) Veterans Educational Assistance.--For purposes of this
section, veterans educational assistance is educational
assistance available to veterans and other eligible
individuals under the provisions of law as follows:
(1) Chapters 30 and 33 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) Chapters 1606 and 1607 of title 10, United States Code
(c) Limitation on Amount Usable.--The total amount of
veterans educational assistance that may be used for the
costs of a covered examination or assessment under subsection
(a) may not exceed the lesser of--
(1) the amount charged for the examination or assessment by
the entity administering the examination or assessment; or
(2) $500.
(d) Charge Against Entitlement.--
(1) In general.--The number of months (or fraction thereof)
of entitlement charged an individual under the applicable
provision of law specified in subsection (b) for use of
veterans educational assistance for costs of covered
examinations and assessments under this section shall be
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing--
(A) the cost of the examination or assessment (as
determined pursuant to subsection (c)); by
(B) the monthly rate of veterans educational assistance to
which the individual is entitled under such provision of law
at the time of the examination or assessment.
(2) Rule of construction.--A charge against entitlement to
educational assistance under a law administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs in order to receive assistance
under this section shall not be construed to affect
entitlement to educational assistance under a law
administered by the Secretary of Defense, including
entitlement to educational assistance under the Department of
Defense Tuition Assistance Program.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``approved program of education'' means a
program of education approved for use of veterans educational
assistance pursuant to chapter 35 or 36 of title 38, United
States Code, or another applicable provision of law.
(2) The term ``covered examinations and assessments'' means
the following:
(A) The National Career Readiness Certificate examination.
(B) An assessment by an institution of higher learning of a
portfolio or written narrative by a student with supporting
documentation that demonstrates prior military training or
learning.
(3) The term ``institution of higher learning'' has the
meaning given such term in section 3452 of title 38, United
States Code.
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