II 119THCONGRESS 1 STSESSION S. 1308 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES APRIL4, 2025 Mr. T ILLIS(for himself, Mr. BUDD, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. M ORENO, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. SCOTTof Florida) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the criteria for approval of certain independent study programs for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Education 4 and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025’’ or the 5 ‘‘VETS Opportunity Act of 2025’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:22 Apr 15, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1308.IS S1308 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 •S 1308 IS SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN INDEPENDENT STUDY 1 PROGRAMS UNDER EDUCATIONAL ASSIST-2 ANCE PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-3 ERANS AFFAIRS. 4 (a) I NGENERAL.—Section 3680A(a)(4)(A)(ii)(III) of 5 title 38, United States Code, is amended— 6 (1) in the matter before item (aa), by inserting 7 ‘‘that requires regular and substantive interaction 8 between students and instructors’’ after ‘‘study’’; 9 and 10 (2) by amending item (bb) to read as follows: 11 ‘‘(bb) an institution of high-12 er education (as defined in sec-13 tion 102 of the Higher Education 14 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) 15 that is participating in a student 16 financial assistance program au-17 thorized by title IV of that Act; 18 and’’. 19 (b) A PPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-20 section (a) shall apply with respect to any quarter, semes-21 ter, or term, as applicable, that begins on or after August 22 1, 2025. 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:22 Apr 15, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1308.IS S1308 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS