H.R. 3504 — what changed
Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019
From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended and 5 added between Introduced in House and Reported in House.
Sec. 3 Increase in amounts of assistance provided
Increase of number of grants per veteran— Section 2102(d)(3) of such title is amended by striking “three” and inserting “six”.
changed
Increase in number of applications authorized To to be approved— Section 2101(a)(4) of such title is amended by striking “30 applications” and inserting “120 applications”.
Increase in maximum amount of assistance for adaptation to veteran’s residence— Section 2102(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking “$12,000” and inserting “$19,733”.
Increase in aggregate amount of assistance for acquisition of housing with special features— Section 2102(d)(1) of such title is amended by striking “$63,780” and inserting “$98,492”.
Increase in aggregate amount of assistance for adaptations to veterans’ residences— Section 2102(d)(2) of such title is amended by striking “$12,756” and inserting “$19,733”.
Effective date and application— The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2020. The amendments made by subsections (c) and (d) shall apply with respect to individuals who have not received the maximum amount of assistance under section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, before such date.
Sec. 5 Improvement to work-study allowance program
added
added
Payment of allowance— Subsection (a) of section 3485 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
added
in paragraph (1), by striking “Individuals” and inserting “In accordance with paragraph (4), individuals”;
added
by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively; and
added
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:
added “(4)
added “(A) The Secretary shall carry out this section by providing to educational institutions an annual amount for the institution to use in paying work-study allowance under paragraph (1) to individuals enrolled at the institution.
added “(B) With respect to an educational institution that participated in the work-study program under this section during the academic year beginning August 1, 2018, the Secretary shall determine the annual amount to provide to the educational institution under subparagraph (A) as follows:
added “(i) For the academic year beginning August 1, 2020, the amount shall be the total amount the Secretary paid under this section to individuals enrolled at such educational institution during the academic year beginning August 1, 2018.
added “(ii) Except as provided by subparagraph (D)(ii), for each academic year beginning on or after August 1, 2021, the amount shall be the total amount the educational institution paid under this section for work-study allowance to individuals enrolled at such educational institution during the previous academic year in which individuals participated in the work-study program.
added “(C) With respect to an educational institution that did not participate in the work-study program under this section during the academic year beginning August 1, 2018, the Secretary shall determine the annual amount to provide to the educational institution under subparagraph (A) as follows:
added “(i) For the first academic year in which the educational institution participates in the work-study program beginning on or after August 1, 2020, the amount shall be an amount the Secretary determines appropriate based on amounts provided to similar educational institutions pursuant to subparagraph (B).
added “(ii) Except as provided by subparagraph (D)(ii), for each academic year occurring after the academic year specified in clause (i), the amount shall be the total amount the educational institution paid under this section for work-study allowance to individuals enrolled at such educational institution during the previous academic year in which individuals enrolled at such educational institution participated in the work-study program.
added “(D)
added “(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the Secretary provides an annual amount to an educational institution under subparagraph (B) or (C) that is more than the total amount the educational institution pays to individuals under paragraph (1), the educational institution shall return to the Secretary the unpaid amount and the Secretary shall transfer such amount into the general fund of the Treasury.
added “(ii) If the annual amount provided to an educational institution under subparagraph (B) or (C) is more, but less than 25 percent more, than the total amount the educational institution pays to individuals under paragraph (1), and the educational institution plans to participate in the work-study program under this section during the subsequent academic year, the educational institution may retain the amount of the overpayment if the educational institution notifies the Secretary of the amount of the overpayment and the intention of the educational institution to retain such amount. Any amount retained by an educational institution under this clause may only be used by the educational institution to provide work-study allowance to individuals enrolled at the educational institution.
added “(iii) At any time an educational institution may request the Secretary to increase the annual amount that the Secretary provides the educational institution under subparagraph (B) or (C).
added “(E) Pursuant to section 3690(c), section 3693, and other provisions of chapter 36 of this title, the Secretary shall ensure that educational institutions carry out the work-study allowance program in compliance with this section.”
added
Conforming amendment— Subsection (e)(1) of such section is amended by striking “subsection (a)(4)” and inserting “subsection (a)(5)”.
added
Application— The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing on or after August 1, 2020.
Sec. 6 Expansion of eligibility for Fry Scholarship to children and spouses of certain deceased members of the Armed Forces
added
added
In general— Subsection (b) of section 3311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
added
by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (12); and
added
by inserting after paragraph (9) the following new paragraphs (10) and (11):
added “(10) An individual who is the child or spouse of a person who, on or after September 11, 2001, dies in line of duty while serving on duty other than active duty as a member of the Armed Forces.
added “(11) An individual who is the child or spouse of a member of the Selected Reserve who dies on or after September 11, 2001—
added “(A) from a service-connected disability; and
added “(B) not later than four years after the date of the last discharge or release of that member from active duty or active duty for training.”
added
Applicability date— The amendments made by subsection (a) apply with respect to a quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, commencing on or after August 1, 2020.
added
Conforming amendments—
added
Subsection (f) of such section is amended by striking “paragraph (9)” each place it appears and inserting “paragraphs (9), (10), and (11)”.
added
Section 3322 of such title is amended—
added
in subsection (e), by striking both “sections 3311(b)(9) and 3319” and inserting “section 3319 and paragraph (9), (10), or (11) of section 3311 of this title”;
added
in subsection (f), by striking “section 3311(b)(9)” and inserting “paragraph (9), (10), or (11) of section 3311 of this title”; and
added
in subsection (h)(2), by striking “either section 3311(b)(9) or chapter 35” and inserting “either chapter 35 or paragraph (9), (10), or (11) of section 3311”.
Sec. 7 Treatment of certain preparatory courses as programs of education for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs
added
added
In general— Chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3315A the following new section:
added “3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certification, or national tests
added “(a) In general—An individual entitled to educational assistance under this chapter shall also be entitled to payment for a preparatory course for a licensing or certification test that is required or used to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession.
added “(b) Amount—The amount of educational assistance payable under this chapter for a course described in subsection (a) is the lesser of—
added “(1) the fee charged for the course; or
added “(2) the amount of entitlement available to the individual under this chapter at the time of payment for the course under this section.
added “(c) Charge against entitlement—The number of months of entitlement charged an individual under this chapter for a course described in subsection (a) shall be pro-rated based on the actual amount of the fee charged for the course relative to the rate for 1 month payable—
added “(1) for the academic year beginning on August 1, 2020, $1,460; or
added “(2) for an academic year beginning on any subsequent August 1, the amount for the previous academic year beginning on August 1 under this subsection, as increased by the percentage increase equal to the most recent percentage increase determined under section 3015(h).”
added
Clerical amendment— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3315A the following new item:
added
Conforming amendments— Section 3532(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
added
in paragraph (1), by inserting “or a preparatory course described in section 3315B(a) of this title” after “or national test providing an opportunity for course credit at institutions of higher learning described in section 3501(a)(5) of this title”; and
added
in paragraphs (2) and (3), by inserting “or preparatory course” after “test” everywhere it appears.
added
Effective date— The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Sec. 8 Adjustment of loan fees
addedadded Section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the loan fee table and inserting the following:
Sec. 9 Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assist blind veterans who have not lost use of a leg in acquiring specially adapted housing
addedadded Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
added
in subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii)—
added
in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking “due to—” and inserting “due to blindness in both eyes, having central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a standard correcting lens. For the purposes of this clause, an eye with a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees shall be considered as having a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less.”; and
added
by striking subclauses (I) and (II); and
added
in subsection (b)(2)—
added
by striking subparagraph (A); and
added
by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively.