Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Veterans in STEM Act”.
Veterans in STEM Act
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program.
Sec. 2 Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program of Department of Veterans Affairs
Clarification and expansion of eligibility— Subsection (b)(4) of section 3320 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in subparagraph (A)(i)—
in the matter preceding subclause (I), by inserting “, or a dual degree program that includes such an undergraduate college degree,” after “undergraduate college degree”;
by striking subclause (IX); and
by redesignating subclauses (X) and (XI) as subclauses (IX) and (X), respectively;
in subparagraph (B)—
by inserting “covered clinical training program for health care professionals or a” before “program of education”; and
by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(C) is an individual who has earned a graduate degree in a field referred to in subparagraph (A)(i) and is enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals.”
Priority— Subsection (c) of such section is amended to read as follows:
“(c) Priority
“(1) If the Secretary determines that there are insufficient funds available in a fiscal year to provide additional benefits under this section to all eligible individuals, the Secretary may give priority to the following eligible individuals:
“(A) Individuals who require the most credit hours described in subsection (b)(4).
“(B) Individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under this chapter by reason of paragraph (1), (2), (8), or (9) of section 3311(b) of this title.
“(2) The Secretary shall give priority to individuals under paragraph (1) in the following order:
“(A) Individuals who are enrolled in a program of education leading to an undergraduate degree in a field referred to in subsection (b)(4)(A)(i).
“(B) Individuals who are enrolled in a program of education leading to a teaching certificate.
“(C) Individuals who are enrolled in a dual-degree program leading to both an undergraduate and graduate degree in a field referred to in subsection (b)(4)(A)(i).
“(D) Individuals who have earned an undergraduate degree and are enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals.
“(E) Individuals who have earned a graduate degree and are enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals.”
Amounts not subject to certain limitation— Subsection (d) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or chapter 36 of this title, any additional benefits under this section may not be counted toward the aggregate period for which section 3695 of this title limits an individual's receipt of allowance or assistance.”
Covered clinical training program defined— Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(h) Covered clinical training program defined—In this section, the term “covered clinical training program defined” means any clinical training required by a health care professional to be licensed to practice in a State or locality.”