text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``GI Bill Processing Improvement 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. PROVISION OF INFORMATION REGARDING VETERAN ENTITLEMENT TO 
                EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.
  
      (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 36 of title 38, United 
  States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
  ``Sec. 3699. Provision of certain information to educational 
                institutions
      ``For each veteran or other individual pursuing a course of 
  education that has been approved under this chapter using educational 
  assistance to which the veteran or other individual is entitled under 
  chapter 30, 32, 33, or 35 of this title, the Secretary shall make 
  available to the educational institution offering the course 
  information about the amount of such educational assistance to which 
  the veteran or other individual is entitled. Such information shall be 
  provided to such educational institution through a secure information 
  technology system accessible by the educational institution and shall 
  be regularly updated to reflect any amounts used by the veteran or 
  other individual.''.
      (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
  such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
  3698 the following new item:
  
  ``3699. Provision of certain information to educational 
                              institutions.''.
  
  SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.
  
      Section 3692 of such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 
  2017'' and inserting ``December 31, 2022''.
  
  SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF REPORTING FEES PAYABLE TO EDUCATIONAL 
                INSTITUTIONS AND JOINT APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING 
                COMMITTEES.
  
      Section 3684(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read 
  as follows:
      ``(c)(1) The Secretary may pay to any educational institution, or 
  to the sponsor of a program of apprenticeship, furnishing education or 
  training under either this chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this 
  title, a reporting fee which will be in lieu of any other compensation 
  or reimbursement for reports or certifications which such educational 
  institution or joint apprenticeship training committee is required to 
  submit to the Secretary by law or regulation.
      ``(2) Such reporting fee shall be computed for each calendar year 
  by multiplying $16 by the number of eligible veterans or eligible 
  persons enrolled under this chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this 
  title, or $15 in the case of those eligible veterans and eligible 
  persons whose educational assistance checks are directed in care of 
  each institution for temporary custody and delivery and are delivered 
  at the time of registration as provided under section 3680(d)(4) of 
  this title, during the calendar year. The reporting fee shall be paid 
  to such educational institution or joint apprenticeship training 
  committee as soon as feasible after the end of the calendar year for 
  which it is applicable.
      ``(3) No reporting fee payable to an educational institution under 
  this subsection shall be subject to offset by the Secretary against any 
  liability of such institution for any overpayment for which such 
  institution may be administratively determined to be liable under 
  section 3685 of this title unless such liability is not contested by 
  such institution or has been upheld by a final decree of a court of 
  appropriate jurisdiction.
      ``(4) Any reporting fee paid to an educational institution or joint 
  apprenticeship training committee after the date of the enactment of 
  the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2011 
  (Public Law 111-377)--
              ``(A) shall be utilized by such institution or committee 
          solely for the making of certifications required under this 
          chapter or chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title or for otherwise 
          supporting programs for veterans; and
              ``(B) with respect to an institution that has 75 or more 
          enrollees described in paragraph (2), may not be used for or 
          merged with amounts available for the general fund of the 
          educational institution or joint apprenticeship training 
          committee.
      ``(5) The reporting fee payable under this subsection shall be paid 
  from amounts appropriated for readjustment benefits.''.
  
  SEC. 5. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIALS.
  
      (a) Training Requirement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
  in consultation with the State approving agencies, set forth 
  requirements relating to training for school certifying officials 
  employed by covered educational institutions offering courses of 
  education approved under chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code. If 
  a covered educational institution does not ensure that a school 
  certifying official employed by the educational institution meets such 
  requirements, the Secretary may disapprove any course of education 
  offered by such educational institution.
      (b) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) The term ``covered educational institution'' means an 
          educational institution that has enrolled 20 or more 
          individuals using educational assistance under title 38, United 
          States Code.
              (2) The term ``school certifying official'' means an 
          employee of an educational institution with primary 
          responsibility for certifying veteran enrollment at the 
          educational institution.
              (3) The term ``State approving agency'' means a department 
          or agency of a State designated under section 3671 of title 38, 
          United States Code.
  
  SEC. 6. STATE APPROVING AGENCY FUNDING.
  
      (a) Increase.--Section 3674(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
  amended--
              (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``out of amounts 
          available for the payment of readjustment benefits'' and 
          inserting ``out of amounts in the Department of Veterans 
          Affairs readjustment benefits account and amounts appropriated 
          to the Secretary'';
              (2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5);
              (3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
          paragraph (4):
      ``(4) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
  section $3,000,000 for each fiscal year.''; and
              (4) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
                      (A) by striking ``The total'' and inserting ``(A) 
                  The total'';
                      (B) by striking ``$19,000,000'' and inserting 
                  ``$21,000,000''; and
                      (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                  subparagraph:
      ``(B) Whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable 
  under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) as a 
  result of a determination made under section 215(i) of such Act (42 
  U.S.C. 415(i)), the Secretary shall, effective on the date of such 
  increase in benefit amounts, increase the amount in effect under 
  subparagraph (A), as in effect immediately prior to the date of such 
  increase in benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social 
  Security Act, by the same percentage as the percentage by which such 
  benefit amounts are increased.''.
target: GI Bill Processing Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make available to an educational institution through a secure information technology system the amount of specified veterans educational assistance available to a veteran or an individual pursuing a VA approved-course at such institution. The bill extends the authority for the Veteran's Advisory Committee on Education until December 31, 2022. A reporting fee paid by the VA to an educational institution or joint apprenticeship training committee after the date of enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2011 with respect to an institution that has 75 or more enrollees may not be used for or merged with amounts available for the general fund of the educational institution or joint apprenticeship training committee.  The VA shall prescribe training requirements for a school certifying official employed by a covered educational institution offering approved veterans education courses. A covered educational institution is an institution that has enrolled 20 or more individuals using veterans educational assistance. The bill increases VA funding for state approving agencies and requires the VA to provide such agencies with a cost of living adjustment that equals the same percentage increase as benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act.
feat_title: GI Bill Processing Improvement Act