Veterans Education Counseling Act - Modifies provisions relating to educational and vocational counseling for veterans to provide a program of counseling services to be known as the Academic Counseling and Educational Information Service. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) make available to veterans information about the definitions, eligibility requirements, and services provided by such counseling and how such counseling services differ from those provided as part of rehabilitation and readjustment assistance programs for veterans; and (2) maintain a website on which a person is able to request such counseling services.
Establishes as the primary goal of such counseling services to provide individuals with assistance in: (1) pursuing postsecondary education and training opportunities, (2) obtaining information about and data on such opportunities, (3) selecting a program of education or training, and (4) addressing other needs relating to education.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3399 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3399
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain clarifications
and improvements in the academic and vocational counseling programs
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 30, 2013
Ms. Chu (for herself, Mr. Takano, Mr. Cook, and Mr. Denham) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain clarifications
and improvements in the academic and vocational counseling programs
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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 Counseling Act''.
SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROVISION OF ACADEMIC AND
VOCATIONAL COUNSELING TO ELIGIBLE VETERANS BY THE
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Academic Counseling and Educational Information Service.--
Section 3697A of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``counseling services,
including'' and inserting ``a program of counseling services,
to be known as the `Academic Counseling and Educational
Information Service'. Such counseling services shall include'';
(2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following:
``In making such information available under this subsection,
the Secretary shall make available information about the
definitions, eligibility requirements, and services provided
under this section and information about how the counseling
services provided under this section differ from the services
provided under section 3104(a)(2) of this title. At a minimum,
the Secretary shall make such information available to an
individual described in subsection (b) before the individual
applies for educational assistance described in subsection
(b)(1).''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(f) The Secretary shall maintain an Internet website on which--
``(1) a person is able to request counseling services under
this section in such a manner that clearly distinguishes such
services from counseling services available under section
3104(a)(2) of this title; and
``(2) an individual receiving counseling services under
this section is able to receive such services using a web-based
counseling tool and to confidentially access aptitude tests.
``(g) The primary goal of the counseling services provided under
this section is to provide to individuals with assistance in--
``(1) pursuing postsecondary education and training
opportunities;
``(2) obtaining information regarding available
postsecondary educational and training opportunities;
``(3) obtaining career-related information and data on
available postsecondary educational and training opportunities;
``(4) selecting a program of education or training; and
``(5) addressing other needs relating to education.
``(h) Services provided under this section are different from the
services provided under section 3104(a)(2) of this title and do not
involve rehabilitation services.''.
(b) Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling.--
(1) Electronic application.--Section 3102 of such title is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(c) Electronic Application for Benefits.--The Secretary shall
maintain an Internet website on which a person is able to submit an
application for benefits under this chapter.''.
(2) Clarification regarding eligibility.--Veterans are only
eligible for counseling services provided under section
3104(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, if they are
entitled to a rehabilitation program under chapter 31 of such
title. Not all veterans who are transitioning from service on
active duty in the Armed Forces are eligible for such services.
(3) Goal of program.--The primary goal of the counseling
services provided under section 3104(a)(2) of title 38, United
States Code, is to help veterans eligible for such services to
prepare for, obtain, and retain employment.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6915)
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
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