H.R. 7112House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Military Spouse Career Education Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:48 PM UTC

The Military Spouse Career Education Act expands the financial help that military spouses can receive for education and professional development. It changes existing laws so that spouses can get reimbursement for more types of costs, such as licensing fees, continuing‑education courses, and national testing, and it broadens the My Career Advancement Account program to cover associate‑degree programs and related expenses. The bill mainly affects military spouses who are pursuing or maintaining professional credentials or degrees.

Key Provisions

Amends the rules on reimbursable expenses to include fees, continuing‑education courses, and the cost of maintaining (or securing) professional licenses and certifications after a relocation.
Updates the My Career Advancement Account program to allow assistance for professional licenses or certifications, associate‑degree programs, and the maintenance of those credentials.
Adds a new provision that lets the same assistance be used for national tests (such as CLEP or DoD‑approved subject tests) that can count toward degree credits.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 4, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 4, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E518)

June 4, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 4, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 4, 2020

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7112

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 4, 2020

Mr. Sablan (for himself and Mr. Banks) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 37, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 to enhance financial assistance to military spouses for professional expenses.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Spouse Career Education Act.

Expansion of reimbursable State licensure and certification costs for a military spouse arising from relocation

Section 476(p)(5) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking and and inserting fees, continuing education courses, and;

(2)

in subparagraph (A), by striking secure and inserting secure or maintain; and

(3)

in subparagraph (B), by striking secure and inserting secure or maintain.

Expansion of financial assistance under My Career Advancement Account program

Section 580F of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (a) Professional license or certification; Associate’s degree.— before The Secretary;

(2)

by inserting or maintenance (including continuing education courses) after pursuit; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(b)

National testing

Financial assistance under subsection (a) may be applied to the costs of national tests that may earn a participating military spouse course credits required for a degree approved under the program (including the College Level Examination Program tests and the Subject Standardized Tests of the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support Division of the Department of Defense).