H.R. 5649 — what changed

In this Act:

added Section 453A(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653a(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

added “(4) Veteran employment—The Secretaries of Labor and of Veterans Affairs shall have access to information reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for purposes of tracking employment of veterans.”

removed “(c) Counseling pathways

removed “(1) Each Secretary concerned, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs, shall establish at least three pathways for members of the military department concerned receiving individualized counseling under this section. The Secretaries shall design the pathways to address the needs of members, based on the following factors:

removed “(A) Rank.

removed “(B) Term of service.

removed “(C) Gender.

removed “(D) Whether the member was a member of a regular or reserve component of an armed force.

removed “(E) Disability.

removed “(F) Character of discharge (including expedited discharge and discharge under conditions other than honorable).

removed “(G) Health (including mental health).

removed “(H) Military occupational specialty.

removed “(I) Whether the member intends, after separation, retirement, or discharge, to—

removed “(i) seek employment;

removed “(ii) enroll in a program of higher education;

removed “(iii) enroll in a program of vocational training; or

removed “(iv) become an entrepreneur.

removed “(J) The educational history of the member.

removed “(K) The employment history of the member.

removed “(L) Whether the member has secured—

removed “(i) employment;

removed “(ii) enrollment in a program of education; or

removed “(iii) enrollment in a program of vocational training.

removed “(M) Other factors the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs, determine appropriate.

removed “(2) Each member described in subsection (a) shall meet in person or by video conference with a counselor before beginning counseling under this section to—

removed “(A) take a self-assessment designed by the Secretary concerned (in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs) to ensure that the Secretary concerned places the member in the appropriate pathway under this subsection; and

removed “(B) receive information from the counselor regarding reenlistment in the armed forces; and

removed “(C) receive information from the counselor regarding resources—

removed “(i) for members of the armed forces separated, retired, or discharged;

removed “(ii) located in the community in which the member will reside after separation, retirement, or discharge.

removed “(3) At the meeting under paragraph (2), the member may elect to have the Secretary concerned (in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs) provide the contact information of the member to the resources described in paragraph (2)(B).”

removed “(e) Joint service transcript

removed “(1) The Secretary concerned shall provide a copy of the joint service transcript of a member described in subsection (a) to—

removed “(A) that member—

removed “(i) at the meeting with a counselor under subsection (c)(2); and

removed “(ii) on the day the member separates, retires, or is discharged; and

removed “(B) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the day the member separates, retires, or is discharged.

removed “(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that a member who has separated, retired, or is discharged may access the joint service transcript of that member from a website of the Department of Veterans Affairs not later than one year after the day the member separates, retires, or is discharged.”

removed “(f) Program contents

removed “(1) The program carried out under this section shall consist of at least five days of instruction as follows:

removed “(A) One day of preseparation training specific to the armed force concerned, as determined by the Secretary concerned.

removed “(B) One day of instruction regarding—

removed “(i) benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and

removed “(ii) other subjects determined by the Secretary concerned.

removed “(C) One day of instruction regarding preparation for employment.

removed “(D) Two days of instruction regarding a topic selected by the member from the following subjects:

removed “(i) Preparation for employment.

removed “(ii) Preparation for education.

removed “(iii) Preparation for vocational training.

removed “(iv) Preparation for entrepreneurship.

removed “(v) Other options determined by the Secretary concerned.

removed “(2) The Secretary concerned may permit a member to attend training and instruction under the program established under this section—

removed “(A) before the time periods established under section 1142(a)(3) of this title;

removed “(B) in addition to such training and instruction required during such time periods.”

added “(k) Accelerated payments for certain flight training

added “(1) Payments—An individual enrolled in a program of education pursued at a vocational school or institution of higher learning in which flight training is required to earn the degree being pursued (including with respect to a dual major, concentration, or other element of such a degree) may elect to receive accelerated payments of amounts for tuition and fees determined under subsection (c). The amount of each accelerated payment shall be an amount equal to twice the amount for tuition and fee so determined under such subsection, but the total amount of such payments may not exceed the total amount of tuition and fees for the program of education. The amount of monthly stipends shall be determined in accordance with such subsection (c) and may not be accelerated under this paragraph.

added “(2) Educational counseling—An individual may make an election under paragraph (1) only if the individual receives educational counseling under section 3697A(a) of this title.

added “(3) Charge against entitlement—The number of months of entitlement charged an individual for accelerated payments made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be determined at the rate of two months for each month in which such an accelerated payment is made.”

added “(II) In determining the actual net cost for in-State tuition and fees pursuant to subclause (I), the Secretary may not pay for tuition and fees relating to flight training.”

added “(II) A program of education described in this subclause is any of the following:

added “(aa) A program of education pursued at a non-public or foreign institution of higher learning.

added “(bb) A program of education pursued at a public institution of higher learning in which flight training is required to earn the degree being pursued (including with respect to a dual major, concentration, or other element of such a degree).”

added “(cc) A program of education pursued at a public institution of higher learning in which the public institution of higher learning enters into a contract or agreement with an entity (other than another public institution of higher learning) to provide such program of education or a portion of such program of education.”

removed Section 453A(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653a(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

removed “(4) Veteran employment—The Secretaries of Labor and of Veterans Affairs shall have access to information reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for purposes of tracking employment of veterans.”

added Section 3680 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

added “(h) School closure during natural disasters

added “(1) In general—An individual described in paragraph (2) shall be entitled to a monthly stipend in the amount to which the individual would be entitled were the individual pursuing a course of education at an institution of higher education through resident training but for a school closure described under paragraph (4).

added “(2) Individual described—An individual described in this paragraph is an individual pursuing a course of education at an institution of higher education using educational assistance under chapter 32, 33, 34, or 35 of this title, who—

added “(A) is forced to discontinue pursuing such course at such institution by reason of a school closure described under paragraph (4); and

added “(B) opts to—

added “(i) pursue that course of education solely by distance learning; or

added “(ii) pursue an alternative course of education solely by distance learning.

added “(3) Duration—The duration of the monthly stipends payable to an individual under paragraph (1) shall be the shorter of the following:

added “(A) The period of time necessary to complete the quarter, semester, term or academic period during which the school closure described in paragraph (4) occurs.

added “(B) Four months.

added “(4) School closure—A school closure described in this paragraph is the closure of an institution of higher education—

added “(A) by reason of a natural disaster;

added “(B) for a period of time that—

added “(i) the institution confirms will last for four weeks or longer; or

added “(ii) the institution describes as indefinite and that endures for a period of four weeks or longer; and

added “(C) that the Secretary confirms is covered for purposes of this subsection.

added “(5) Natural disaster defined—In this subsection, the term “natural disaster” means a specific weather event or earth process, including a hurricane, tornado, wildfire or forest fire, earthquake, avalanche, mudslide, hailstorm, thunderstorm, lightning storm, freeze, blizzard, sinkhole, or other disastrous event that occurs as a result of such an event or process, that the President or the governor of a State declares a natural disaster.

added “(6) No charge to entitlement—No charge shall be made to the entitlement of any individual to educational assistance under chapter 32, 33, 34, or 35 of this title by reason of a payment under this subsection.”