Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education Reauthorization Act of 2009

HR 950: Amend chapter 33 of title 38, USC, to increase educational assistance for certain veterans pursuing a program of education offered through distance learning -- Authorized the use of veterans' educational assistance for the pursuit of an approved program of education offered through distance learning. HR 1098: Veterans' Worker Retraining Act of 2009 -- Increases the amount of educational assistance payments made by the VA Secretary to individuals pursuing an apprenticeship or on-job training under (1) the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program; (2) the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans educational assistance program; (3) the Survivors and Dependents educational assistance program; and (4) the Selected Reserve Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program. HR 1172: Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet Website of Dept. of VA a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors and, of each such organization, a link to their Internet Website. HR 1821: Equity for Injured Veterans Act of 2009 -- Extends the period of eligibility for training and rehabilitation through the VA for veterans with service-connected disabilities until the end of the 15 (under current law, 12) year period after the veteran's discharge from active-duty service. Allows a service-disabled veteran a subsistence allowance for six (under current law, two) months of full-time employment training following completion of a vocational rehabilitation program. Allows such a veteran who has unused VA educational assistance entitlement to use such assistance to pursue a program of education as part of a vocational rehabilitation program, as long as the VA Secretary approves the educational, professional or vocational objective chosen by the veteran. Directs the Secretary to provide reimbursement for child care to a veteran who is participating in a vocational rehabilitation program and is the sole caretaker of a child. Requires the Secretary to include in annual budget material submitted to Congress information on veterans receiving vocational rehabilitation assistance who (1) become employed and (2) achieve independence in daily living. HR 1879: National Guard employment Protection Act of 2009 -- Provides employment and re-employment rights for certain individuals ordered to full-time National Guard duty. HR 2614: Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Amend title 38, USC, to reauthorize the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education HR 2928: Amend title 38, USC, to provide for an apprenticeship and on-job training program under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program -- Amends requirements for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program to entitle an eligible veteran of the Armed Forces (including eligible dependents) pursuing a full-time educational program of apprenticeship or other on-job training to a monthly benefit payment equal to (1) 85% of the national average cost of tuition at an institution of higher education for each of the first six months of the program; (2) 65% of such amount for each of the second six months of the program; and (3) 45% of such amount for each of the months following the first 12 months of the program. Reduces the payment an individual receives in any month in which the individual fails to complete 120 hours of training under the program of education. HR 3561: Amend title 38, USC, to increase the amount of educational assistance provided to certain veterans for flight training HR 3577: Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act of 2009 -- Amend title 38, United State Code, to provide authority for certain members of the Armed Forces who have served 20 years on active duty to transfer entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to their dependents. HR 3949: Veterans' Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 -- To amend title 38, USC, to reauthorize the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education. Directs the VA Secretary to establish and carry out a scholarship program of financial assistance for individuals who (1) are accepted for, or currently enrolled in, a program of study leading to a degree or certificate in visual impairment or orientation and mobility, or both; and (2) enter into an agreement to serve, after program completion, as a full-time VA employee for three years HR 1037 / S 728: Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009 -- Directs the VA Secretary to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of qualifying veterans' work-study activities, including positions available on site at educational institutions. HR 3554 / S 1668: National Guard Education Equality Act -- Amend title 38, USC, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes

Client expense: $6,600 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

H.R. 294, a bill to guarantee loans to veterans owned small businesses H.R. 761, a bill to clarify eligibility for burial in a national cemetery H.R. 1016/S. 423, the "Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act: (Advance appropriations for VA Health Care) H.R. 1017, the "Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act." H.R. 1036, the "Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009" H.R. 1335/S. 821, a bill to eliminate co-payments for catastrophically disabled veterans H.R. 1169, a bill to increase the specially adapted housing and automobile assistance grants H.R. 2504, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out homeless veterans programs from $150 million to $200 million. H.R. 2559, the "Help Our Homeless Veterans Act" H.R. 2735, a bill to make improvements to the comprehensive programs for homeless veterans H.R. 2879/S. 658, the "Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009" H.R. 2379, the "Veterans Group Life Insurance Improvements Act of 2009" H.R. 2461, the "Veterans Small Business Verification Act" H.R. 2614, the "Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education Reauthorization Act of 2009" H.R. 2696, the "Servicemembers' Rights Protection Act" H.R. 2713, the "Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Enhancement Act" H.R. 2774, the "Families of Veterans Financial Security Act of 2009" H.R. 2874, the "Helping Active Duty Deployed Act of 2009" H.R. 3073, a bill to establish a grant program to assist veterans at risk of becoming homeless H.R. 3219, the "Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act of 2009" H.R. 3407, the Severely Injured Veterans Benefits Improvement Act" H.R. 3485, the "Veterans Pension Protection Act" H.R. 3441, a bill to provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA health care system H.R. 3544, the National Cemeteriest Expansion Act of 2009" Discussion Draft legislation concerning various homeless veterans issues Discussion Draft legislation to reform and expand the VA Supportive Housing Program carried out by HUD S. 977, the "Prisoner of War Benefit Act of 2009" S. 1118, a bill to increase rates of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation S. 1394, the "Veterans Entitlement to Service Act of 2009" S. 1444, the "Combat PTSD Act" S. 1467, the :Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers' Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009" S. 1518, the "Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009" S. 1752, a bill to provide compensation for veterans with Parkinson's disease S. 1753, a bill to increase the amount of Temporary Residence Assistance available S. 1963, the "Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009"

Client expense: $93,024 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

HR 228--Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility--Directs the VA Secretary to establish and carry out a scholarship program of financial assistance for individuals who: (1) are accepted for , or currently enrolled in, a program of study leading to a degree or certificate in visual impairment or orientation and mobility, or both, and (2) enter into an agreement to serve, after program completion, as a full-time VA employee for three years within the first six years after program completion. Sets maximum assistance amounts of $15,000 per academic year and $45,000 total. Requires pro rate repayment for failure to satisfy education or service requirements, while allowing the Secretary to waive or suspend such repayment whenever noncompliance is due to circumstances beyond the control of the participant, or when waiver or suspension is in the best interests of the United States. HR 950--Amend chapter 33 of title 38, USC to increase educational assistance for certain veterans pursuing a program of education offered through distance learning--Authorizes the use of veterans' educational assistance for the pursuit of an approved program of education offered through distance learning. HR 1037--Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of qualifying veterans' work-study activities, including positions available on site at educational institutions. HR 1098--Veterans' Worker Retraining Act of 2009--Increases the amount of educational assistance payments made by the VA Secretary to individuals pursuing an apprenticeship or on-job-training under: (1) the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program, (2) the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans educational assistance program; (3) the Survivors and Dependents educational assistance program; and (4) the Selected Reserve Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program. HR 1172--Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors and, for each such organization, a link to their Internet website. HR 1821--Equity for Injured Veterans Act of 2009--Extends the period of eligibility for training and rehabilitation through the VA for veterans with service-connected disabilities until the end of the 15 (under current law, 12) year period after the veteran's discharge from active-duty service. Allows a service-disabled veteran a subsistence allowance for six (under current law, two) months of full-time employment training following completion of a vocational rehabilitation program. Allows such a veteran who has unused VA educational assistance entitlement to use such assistance pursue a program of education as part of a vocational rehabilitation program, as long as the VA Secretary approves the educational, professional, or vocational objective chosen by the veteran. Directs the Secretary to provide reimbursement for child care to a veteran who is participating in a vocational rehabilitation program and is the sole caretaker of a child. Requires the Secretary to include a annual budget materials submitted to Congress information on veterans receiving vocational rehabilitation assistance who: (1) became employed, and (2) achieved independence in daily living. HR 1879--National Guard Employment Protection Act of 2009--Provides employment and reemployment rights for certain individuals ordered to full-time National Guard duty. HR 2614--Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education Reauthorization Act of 2009--Amend title 38, USC, to reauthorize the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education. HR 2928--Amend title 38, USC, to provide for an apprenticeship and on-job training program under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program.--Amends requirements for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program to entitle an eligible veteran of the Armed Forces (including eligible dependents) pursuing a full-time educational program of apprenticeship or other on-job training to a monthly benefit payment equal to: (1) 85% of the national average cost of tuition at an institution of higher education for each of the first six months of the program; (2) 65% of such amount for each of the second six months of the program; and (3) 45% of such amount for each of the months following the first 12 months of the program. Reduces the payment an individual receives in any month in which the individual fails to complete 120 hours of training under the program of education. HR 3554--National Guard Education Equality Act--Amend title 38, USC, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9//11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes. HR 3561--Amend title 38, USC, to increase the amount of educational assistance provided to certain veterans for flight training--Amend title 38, USC, to increase the amount of educational assistance provided to certain veterans for flight training. HR 3577--Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act of 2009--Amend title 38, USC, to provided authority for certain members of the Armed Forces who have served 20 years on active duty to transfer entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to their dependents. S 847--A bill to amend title 38, USC, to provide that utilization of survivors' and dependents' educational assistance shall not be subject to the 48-month limitation on the aggregate amount of assistance utilizable under multiple veterans and related educational assistance programs--Exempts survivors' and dependents' educational assistance from the 48-month time limit on the use of assistance under various veterans' and related educational assistance programs. Revives any entitlement reduced by the 48-month limit. The Evolution of State Approving Agencies--Examine the SAAs needs to continue to approve programs of study at established institutions and approving programs of study at community colleges or trade schools--Review the current role that the State Approving Agencies(SAAs) are playing in approving and supervising programs of study. HR 3467 LETTER--Veterans Education Enhancement and Fairness Act of 2009--Ensure that veterans do not receive a lesser benefit when they are pursuing their education credit by distance learning. National Guard Education Equality Act LETTER--National Guard Education Equality Act--Extend benefits to title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) service members under there Post-9/11 GI Bill. HR 3221 LETTER--Amendment to HR 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009--Permit students to transfer education credits between institutions of higher learning (IHLs) that receive Federal grants while serving in the military. HR 294, 1169, 1182, 2416, 2696, 2874, 2928, 3223, 3554, 3561, 3577 and draft legislation--Legislation of various bills--Provide for an increase in the amount of the reporting fees payable to educational institutions that enroll veterans receiving educational assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Client expense: $6,600 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)