To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a student loan repayment program for totally disabled veterans.

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a student loan repayment program in which the Secretary repays the undergraduate student loan amounts that veterans owe on any date they incur a service-connected disability that is rated as total.

Makes the repayment program applicable only to: (1) veterans who served in the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, and (2) loans made before the veteran entered the Armed Forces.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4314 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4314

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a student loan 
            repayment program for totally disabled veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 26, 2014

 Mr. Ribble (for himself and Mr. Kind) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a student loan 
            repayment program for totally disabled veterans.

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

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERAN STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3699. Student loan repayment program for totally disabled 
              veterans
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a student loan 
repayment program in which the Secretary repays the undergraduate 
student loans of covered veterans.
    ``(b) Monthly Payment.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary, on a monthly basis, shall pay directly to the holder of an 
undergraduate student loan of a covered veteran an amount that is equal 
to the monthly amount computed under subsection (c)(1).
    ``(c) Amounts.--(1) The monthly amount paid by the Secretary under 
subsection (b) for a covered veteran enrolled in the program 
established under subsection (a) is the amount that equals the monthly 
amount that the covered veteran owes the holder of the loan.
    ``(2) Except as provided by paragraph (3), the total amount that 
the Secretary may pay for a covered veteran enrolled in the program 
established under subsection (a) is the amount that the veteran owes to 
the holder of any undergraduate student loan of the veteran as of the 
date on which the veteran became totally service-connected disabled.
    ``(3) In addition to the total amount paid pursuant to paragraph 
(2), with respect to a covered veteran enrolled in the program 
established under subsection (a) who, as of the date on which the 
veteran applies for such enrollment, owes to the holder of an 
undergraduate student loan of the veteran an amount that is less than 
the total amount that the veteran owed as of the date on which the 
veteran became totally service-connected disabled, the Secretary shall 
pay to the covered veteran an amount equal to--
            ``(A) the difference of--
                    ``(i) the amount the veteran owed to such holder as 
                of the date of such disability; and
                    ``(ii) the amount the veteran owes to such holder 
                as of the date of such application; plus
            ``(B) any interest to the amount calculated under 
        subparagraph (A), as determined by the Secretary based on the 
        percentage by which there was a social security increase (as 
        defined in section 1104(b) of this title) during each year 
        occurring during the period beginning on the date of such 
        disability and ending on the date of such application.
    ``(d) Effect on Other Programs.--Enrollment in the program 
established under subsection (a) shall not affect any other educational 
assistance that a veteran may be entitled to by reason of the service 
of the veteran in the Armed Forces.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered veteran' means a veteran who--
                    ``(A) served in the Armed Forces on or after 
                September 11, 2001; and
                    ``(B) has a service-connected disability rated as 
                total.
            ``(2) The term `undergraduate student loan' means a loan, 
        whether Federal, State, or private--
                    ``(A) to assist an individual to attend an 
                institution of higher learning (as such term is defined 
                in section 3452(f) of this title), including a loan 
                made, insured, or guaranteed under part B, D, or E of 
                title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1077 et seq., 1087a et seq., 1087aa et seq.) or a 
                private education loan (as defined in section 140 of 
                the Truth in Lending Act);
                    ``(B) that was made to a covered veteran before the 
                date on which the veteran entered into the Armed 
                Forces; and
                    ``(C) for which the veteran used to pursue an 
                undergraduate degree at such an institution.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``3699. Student loan repayment program for totally disabled 
                            veterans.''.
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