HR-3991 : Still Just a Bill


Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act of 2015

This bill declares that, if a veteran is forced to discontinue a course as a result of a a permanent school closure and did not receive credit or lost training time toward completion of the education program, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance payments shall not, for a specified period of time, be:

  • charged against the individual's entitlement to educational assistance, or
  • counted against the aggregate period for which such assistance may be provided.

The bill applies to courses and programs of education discontinued beginning with FY2015.

The VA may continue to pay educational assistance and subsistence allowances to eligible veterans and eligible persons enrolled in specified courses for up to 4 weeks in any 12-month period when schools are temporarily closed under an established policy based on an executive order of the President or due to an emergency situation.

The VA may also continue to pay a monthly housing stipend following a permanent school closure, but only until the earlier of: (1) the date of the end of the term, quarter, or semester during which the school closure occurred; and (2) the date that is four months after the school closure.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2015-12-03CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.House committee actions
2015-11-05IntroReferralReferred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.House floor actions
2015-11-05IntroReferralIntroduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Policy Area :

Armed Forces and National Security
Related Subjects
  • Educational facilities and institutions
  • Higher education
  • Student aid and college costs
  • Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Related Geographic Entities
Related Organizations

Related Bills

See Related Bills