US Congress Senate Bill 604 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: Introduced on February 26 2015 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-02-26 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Pending: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Veteran Education Empowerment Act Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to award up to 30 four-year grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to establish, maintain, and improve Veteran Student Centers. Permits a grantee to use a portion of the grant to provide veteran students with supportive instruction services. Requires a grantee to be an IHE or consortium that: (1) enrolls in undergraduate or graduate courses a significant number or percentage of veterans or members of the Armed Forces, and (2) presents a sustainability plan demonstrating that its Veteran Student Center will be maintained and will continue to operate after the grant ends. Defines a "Veteran Student Center" as a dedicated space on a campus that provides students who are veterans or members of the Armed Forces with: (1) a lounge or meeting space for themselves, their spouses or partners, and veterans in the community; (2) a centralized office for veteran services that is staffed by trained employees and volunteers and serves as a single point of contact to coordinate veterans support services; and (3) comprehensive academic and tutoring services to veterans. Requires that office to provide such students with assistance in: transitioning from the military to student life, transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce, networking with other veteran students and veterans in the community, understanding and obtaining benefits provided by the IHE and federal and state government for which they may be eligible, understanding how to succeed in the IHE, and understanding their disability-related rights and protections under specified federal laws. Requires the Secretary to develop and implement a website for veteran student services at IHEs, which details best practices for serving veteran students at IHEs.

Veteran Education Empowerment Act

Sen. Jon Tester [D-MT]

Sen. Bill Nelson [D-FL]

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-02-26	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

HB1399 (Related) 2015-11-16 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/604/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s604/BILLS-114s604is.pdf