Veterans Education Enhancement and Fairness Act of 2009

Veterans Education Enhancement and Fairness Act of 2009 - Provides for a monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for individuals pursuing education programs offered through distance learning.

Includes in the definition of "active duty" for purposes of Program eligibility for members of the Army National Guard or Air National Guard full-time duty, including duty in support of any homeland security operation, natural disaster related operation, counter-narcotic operation, or border security operation, and duty in the Active Guard Reserve.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3467 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3467

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing 
   stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs for individuals pursuing programs of 
  education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2009

  Mr. Carney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing 
   stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs for individuals pursuing programs of 
  education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Education Enhancement and 
Fairness Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. MONTHLY HOUSING STIPEND UNDER POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS PURSUING PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION 
              OFFERED THROUGH DISTANCE LEARNING.

    (a) In General.--Section 3313(c)(1)(B)(i) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the following: ``(other than, in the case 
        of assistance under this section only, a program of education 
        offered through distance learning)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following: ``, except that in 
        the case of an individual pursuing a program of education 
        offered through distance learning, the amount of the monthly 
        housing stipend under this clause shall be the amount equal to 
        the monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing payable 
        under section 403 of title 37 for a member with dependents in 
        pay grade E-5 residing in the military housing area that 
        encompasses all or the majority portion of the ZIP code area in 
        which the individual resides.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to a month beginning on or after the date that is 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE IN THE RESERVE 
              COMPONENTS AS QUALIFYING SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF POST-9/
              11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 3301(1) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) In the case of members of the Army National 
                Guard or Air National Guard of any State, full-time 
                duty under section 502(f) of title 32, including duty 
                in support of any homeland security operation, natural 
                disaster related operation, counter-narcotic operation, 
                or border security operation and duty in the Active 
                Guard Reserve.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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