article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Education and Training Act of 1994''. SEC. 2. FLIGHT TRAINING. (a) Active Duty Program.--Section 3034(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking out paragraph (2); (2) by striking out ``(d)(1)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``(d)''; and (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively. (b) Post-Vietnam Era.--Section 3241(b) of such title is amended-- (1) by striking out paragraph (2); (2) by striking out ``(b)(1)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``(b)''; and (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively. (c) Reserve Program.--Section 2136(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking out paragraph (2); (2) by striking out ``(c)(1)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``(c)''; and (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively. SEC. 3. TRAINING AND REHABILITATION FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES. (a) Rehabilitation Resources.--Section 3115 of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``assistance,'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``assistance or any federally recognized Indian tribe,''; (2) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting ``any federally recognized Indian tribe,'' after ``contributions,''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(c) As used in this section, the term `federally recognized Indian tribe' means any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.''. (b) Allowances.--Section 3108(c)(2) of such title is amended by inserting ``or federally recognized Indian tribe'' after ``local government agency''. (c) Technical Correction.--(1) Section 404(b) of the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1992 (106 Stat. 4338) is amended by striking out the period at the end thereof and inserting in lieu thereof ``, but shall not apply to veterans and other persons who originally applied for assistance under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, before November 1, 1990.''. (2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as of October 29, 1992. SEC. 4. ALTERNATIVE TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. (a) In General.--Section 3452(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``For the period ending on September 30, 1996, such term includes entities that provide training required for completion of any State-approved alternative teacher certification program (as determined by the Secretary).''. (b) Clarifying Amendment.--Section 3002 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: ``(8) The term `educational institution' has the meaning given such term in section 3452(c) of this title.''. (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall be effective on the date of enactment of this Act. SEC. 5. EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. (a) In General.--The first sentence of section 3476 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``An eligible veteran may not enroll in any course offered by an educational institution not located in a State unless that educational institution is an approved institution of higher learning and the course is approved by the Secretary.''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to courses approved on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 6. CORRESPONDENCE COURSES. (a) Approval of Programs of Education.--(1) Section 3672 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(e) A program of education exclusively by correspondence, and the correspondence portion of a combination correspondence-residence course leading to a vocational objective, that is offered by an educational institution (as defined in section 3452(c) of this title) may be approved only if (1) the educational institution is accredited by an agency recognized by the Secretary of Education, and (2) at least 50 percent of those pursuing such a program or course require six months or more to complete the program or course.''. (2)(A) Section 3675(a)(2)(B) of such title is amended by striking out ``A State'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Except as provided in section 3672(e), a State''. (B) Section 3680(a) of such title is amended-- (i) by striking out ``; or'' at the end of paragraph (3) and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and (ii) by striking out paragraph (4). (C) Section 3686(c) of such title is amended by striking out ``(other than one subject to the provisions of section 3676 of this title)''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to programs of education exclusively by correspondence and to correspondence-residence courses commencing after 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 7. STATE APPROVING AGENCIES. (a) Reimbursement.--(1) Section 3674(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out ``$12,000,000'' each place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof ``$13,000,000''. (2) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to services provided under such section after September 30, 1994. (b) Elimination of Report to Congress Requirement.--Section 3674(a)(3) of such title is amended-- (1) by striking out subparagraph (B); and (2) by striking out ``(3)(A)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``(3)''. (c) Evaluation of Agency Performance.--Section 3674A(a) of such title is amended by striking out paragraph (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively. SEC. 8. MEASUREMENT OF COURSES. Section 3688(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking out ``this chapter or'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``this chapter,''; and (2) by inserting before the period at the end thereof the following: ``, or chapter 106 of title 10''. SEC. 9. VETERANS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. Section 3692 of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsections (a) and (b)-- (A) by striking out ``34,'' both places it appears; and (B) by striking out ``title.'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``title and chapter 106 of title 10.'' both places it appears; and (2) in subsection (c), by striking out ``1994'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``2003''. SEC. 10. CONTRACT EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL COUNSELING. (a) Payment Limitation.--Section 3697(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out ``$5,000,000'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``$6,000,000''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 1994. SEC. 11. SERVICE MEMBERS OCCUPATIONAL CONVERSION AND TRAINING ACT OF 1992. (a) Period of Training.--(1) Section 4485(d) of the Service Members Occupational Conversion and Training Act of 1992 (106 Stat. 2759; 10 U.S.C. 1143 note) is amended by striking out ``or more than 18 months''. (2)(A) Section 4486(d)(2) of such Act (102 Stat. 2760; 10 U.S.C. 1143 note) is amended by striking out the period at the end thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``in the community for the entire period of training of the eligible person.''. (B) The amendment made by subparagraph (A) shall apply with respect to programs of training under the Service Members Occupational Conversion and Training Act of 1992 beginning after the date of enactment of this Act. (b) Payments.--Section 4487 of such Act (106 Stat. 2762; 10 U.S.C. 1143 note) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(1)-- (A) by striking out ``subparagraph (B)'' in subparagraph (A) and inserting in lieu thereof ``subparagraphs (B) and (C)''; (B) by inserting before the period at the end of subparagraph (A) the following: ``but in no event to exceed 18 months (or the equivalent training hours)''; and (C) by adding at the end thereof the following new subparagraph: ``(C) Assistance may be paid under this subtitle on behalf of an eligible person to that person's employer for training under two or more programs of job training under this subtitle if such employer has not received (or is not due) on that person's behalf assistance in an amount aggregating the applicable amount set forth in subparagraph (B).''; and (2) in subsection (b)(3), by inserting before the period at the end thereof ``, or upon the completion of the 18th month of training under the last training program approved for the person's pursuit with that employer under this subtitle, whichever is earlier''. (c) Entry Into Program of Job Training.--Section 4488(a) of such Act (106 Stat. 2764; 10 U.S.C. 1143 note) is amended by striking out the third sentence thereof and inserting in lieu thereof ``The eligible person may begin such program of job training with the employer on the day that notice is transmitted to such official by means prescribed by such official. However, assistance under this subtitle may not be provided to the employer if such official, within two weeks after the date on which such notice is transmitted, disapproves the eligible person's entry into that program of job training in accordance with this section.''. Passed the House of Representatives August 1, 1994. Attest: DONNALD K. ANDERSON, Clerk.
summary: Veterans' Education and Training Act of 1994 - Provides for the continued use (currently terminates at the end of FY 1994) of veterans' basic educational assistance for approved flight training for regular veterans, post-Vietnam era veterans, and members of the reserves. (Sec. 3) Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use the facilities of any federally recognized Indian tribe in providing training or work experience for veterans with service-connected disabilities. Allows for the payment of a subsistence allowance to veterans performing training or work on the facilities of such an Indian tribe. (Sec. 4) Includes within the definition of "educational institution" for purposes of the provision of educational assistance to veterans, until September 31, 1996, entities that provide training required for the completion of any State-approved alternative teacher certification program. (Sec. 5) Prohibits a veteran eligible for educational assistance from enrolling in any course at an institution outside the United States unless the institution is an approved institution of higher learning and the course is approved by the Secretary. (Sec. 6) Provides for the conditional approval of correspondence courses as courses for which veterans' educational assistance may be provided. (Sec. 7) Increases from $12 million to $13 million the annual limit on the amount authorized to be provided to State and local educational agencies for furnishing courses of education to veterans under the educational assistance program. Removes an educational agency reporting requirement with respect to the provision of such services. (Sec. 9) Continues the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education through December 31, 2003. (Sec. 10) Increases from $5 million to $6 million the annual funding ceiling for veterans' educational and vocational counseling services obtained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Sec. 11) Amends the Service Members Occupational Conversion and Training Act of 1992 to: (1) repeal the 18-month limit on training under such Act for employment in stable and permanent positions; (2) revise certain certification requirements under such training program; (3) allow assistance to be paid on behalf of eligible persons for training under two or more training programs if the per-person annual training limit is not exceeded; and (4) allow a person to enter into a job training program on the day that official employer notification is given (currently, the person must wait two weeks after such notification).