To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to extend the time limitation for use of eligibility and entitlement to educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill.

April 11, 2002

Mr. SMITH of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to extend the time limitation for use of eligibility and entitlement to educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill.

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 `Military Education Extension Act of 2002'.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATION FOR USE OF ELIGIBILITY AND ENTITLEMENT.

(a) ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE PROGRAM- Section 3031 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking `10-year period' each place it appears (other than subsection (g)) and inserting `15-year period'; and

(2) in subsection (g), by striking `the last day' and all that follows through `Act' and inserting `November 30, 2014,'.

(b) EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR SELECTED RESERVE- Section 16133(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking `10-year period' and inserting `15-year period'.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, and apply with respect to periods of eligibility and entitlement beginning on or after such date.

(d) APPLICATION TO ELIGIBILITY AND ENTITLEMENT FOR WHICH TIME LIMITATION HAS EXPIRED- (1) In the case of an individual whose period for use of entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 30 of title 38, United States Code, has expired by reason of section 3031 of such title before the date of the enactment of this Act, the individual may use any unexpended portion of such entitlement during the 5-year period that begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for notice to individuals referred to in paragraph (1) of the opportunity under this subsection to use any unexpended portion of entitlement to educational assistance under such chapter 30 during such 5-year period.

END