Sec. 2. Educational assistance benefits during emergency situations

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Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— by redesignating subchapters I and II as subchapters II and III, respectively; and by inserting before subchapter II, as so redesignated, the following new subchapter: In this chapter, the term emergency situation means a situation that— the President declares is an emergency; and the Secretary determines is an emergency for purposes of the laws administered by the Secretary. If the Secretary determines under subsection

(c)that an individual is negatively affected by an emergency situation, the Secretary may provide educational assistance to that individual under the laws administered by the Secretary as if such negative effects did not occur. The authority under this section is in addition to the other authorities of the Secretary to provide benefits in emergency situations, but in no case may the Secretary provide more than a total of four weeks of additional educational assistance by reason of any other such authority and this section. In providing educational assistance to an individual pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary may— continue to pay a monthly housing stipend under chapter 33 of this title, during a month the individual would have been enrolled in a program of education or training but for the emergency situation at the same rate such stipend would have been payable if the individual had not been negatively affected by the emergency situation, except that the total number of weeks for which stipends may continue to be so payable may not exceed four weeks; and continue to pay payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 31, 32, 33, and 35 of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10 during a month for a period of time that the individual would have been enrolled in a program of education or training but for the emergency situation, except that the total number of weeks for which payments or allowances may continue to be so payable may not exceed four weeks. The Secretary shall determine that an individual was negatively affected by an emergency situation if— the individual is enrolled in a covered program of education of an educational institution or enrolled in training at a training establishment and is pursuing such program or training using educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary; the educational institution or training establishment certifies to the Secretary that such program or training is truncated, delayed, relocated, canceled, partially canceled, converted from being on-site to being offered by distance learning, or otherwise modified or made unavailable by reason of the emergency situation; and the Secretary determines that the modification to such program or training specified under paragraph

(2)would reduce the amount of educational assistance (including with respect to monthly housing stipends, payments, or subsistence allowances) that would be payable to the individual but for the emergency situation. If the Secretary determines that an individual who received assistance under this section did not make progress toward the completion of the program of education in which the individual is enrolled during the period for which the individual received such assistance, any assistance provided pursuant to this section shall not be counted for purposes of determining the total amount of an individual’s entitlement to educational assistance, housing stipends, or payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 31, 32, and 35 of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10. In the case of a program of education approved by a State approving agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of a State approving agency, that is converted from being offered on-site at an educational institution or training establishment to being offered by distance learning by reason of an emergency or health-related situation, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may continue to provide educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary without regard to such conversion, including with respect to paying any— monthly housing stipends under chapter 33 of this title; or payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 31, 32, and 35 of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10. Any payment of educational assistance described in subsection

(b)shall not— be charged against any entitlement to educational assistance of the individual concerned; or be counted against the aggregate period for which section 3695 of this title limits the receipt of educational assistance by such individual. Subject to subsection (d), the payment of educational assistance described in this subsection is the payment of such assistance to an individual for pursuit of a course or program of education at an educational institution under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 of title 10, if the Secretary determines that the individual— was unable to complete such course or program as a result of— the closure of the educational institution, or the full or partial cancellation of a course or program of education, by reason of an emergency situation; or the disapproval of the course or a course that is a necessary part of that program under this chapter because the course was modified by reason of such emergency; and did not receive credit or lost training time, toward completion of the program of education being so pursued. In this section, educational assistance includes, as applicable— monthly housing stipends payable under chapter 33 of this title for any month the individual would have been enrolled in a course or program of education; and payments or subsistence allowances under chapters 30, 31, 32, and 35 of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10 during a month the individual would have been enrolled in a course or program of education. The period for which, by reason of this section, educational assistance is not charged against entitlement or counted toward the applicable aggregate period under section 3695 of this title shall not exceed the aggregate of— the portion of the period of enrollment in the course from which the individual did not receive credit or with respect to which the individual lost training time, as determined under subsection (b)(2); and the period by which a monthly stipend is extended under section 3680(a)(2)(B) of this title. The Secretary may treat a course of education that is disapproved under this chapter as being approved under this chapter with respect to an individual described in paragraph

(2)if the Secretary determines, on a programmatic basis, that— such disapproval is the result of an action described in subsection (b)(1)(B); and continuing pursuing such course is in the best interest of the individual. An individual described in this paragraph is an individual who is pursuing a course of education at an educational institution under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 of title 10, as of the date on which the course is disapproved as described in subsection (b)(1)(B). In the case of an individual who, as of the first day of an emergency situation was enrolled on a full-time basis in a program of education and was receiving educational assistance under chapter 33 of this title or subsistence allowance under chapter 31 of this title, and for whom the Secretary makes a determination under subsection (b), the individual shall be treated as an individual enrolled in a program of education on a full-time basis for the purpose of calculating monthly housing stipends payable under chapter 33 of this title, or subsistence allowance payable under chapter 31 of this title, for any month the individual is enrolled in the program of education on a part-time basis to complete any course of education that was partially or fully canceled by reason of the emergency situation. Not later than 5 business days after the date on which the Secretary receives notice that an educational institution will close or is closed by reason of an emergency situation, the Secretary shall provide to each individual who is enrolled in a course or program of education at such educational institution using entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of this title, or chapter 1606 of title 10 notice of— such closure and the date of such closure; and the effect of such closure on the individual’s entitlement to educational assistance pursuant to this section. In the case of any individual who withdraws from a program of education or training, other than a program by correspondence, in an educational institution under chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title for a covered reason during the period of an emergency situation, the Secretary shall find mitigating circumstances for purposes of section 3680(a)(1)(C)(ii) of this title. In this section, the term covered reason means any reason related to an emergency situation, including— illness, quarantine, or social distancing requirements; issues associated with accessibility; access or availability of childcare; providing care for a family member or cohabitants; change of location or residence due to the emergency situation or associated school closures; employment changes or financial hardship; and issues associated with changes in format or medium of instruction. . The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended— by striking the item relating to subchapter II and inserting the following new item: Subchapter III–Miscellaneous Provisions . by striking the item relating to subchapter I and inserting the following new item: Subchapter II–State Approving Agencies . by inserting before the item relating to subchapter II the following new items: Subchapter I–Emergency Situations 3601. Definition of emergency situation. 3602. Continuation of educational assistance benefits during emergency situations. 3603. Continuation of educational assistance benefits for certain programs of education converted to distance learning by reason of emergency situations. 3604. Effects of closure of educational institution and modification of courses by reason of emergency situation. 3605. Payment of educational assistance in cases of withdrawal. . The following provisions of law are repealed: Sections 1102, 1103, and 1104 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 ( Public Law 116–315 ). Public Law 116–128.

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Sec. 2

Educational assistance benefits during emergency situations

Pub. L.Public Law 116-315

Pub. L.Public Law 116-128

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