text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Employment Through 
  Technology Education Courses Act'' or the ``VET TEC Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HIGH TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
  out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide eligible 
  veterans with the opportunity to enroll in high technology programs of 
  education.
      (b) Eligibility.--For purposes of the pilot program under this 
  section, an eligible veteran is a veteran who is entitled to 
  educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary.
      (c) Contracts.--
              (1) In general.--For purposes of carrying out subsection 
          (a), by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
          of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into contracts 
          with multiple qualified providers of high technology programs 
          of education for the provision of such programs to eligible 
          veterans under the pilot program.
              (2) Payment of contractors.--A contract under this 
          subsection shall provide that the Secretary shall pay to a 
          provider--
                      (A) 25 percent of the cost of providing the program 
                  of education upon the enrollment of an eligible veteran 
                  in the program;
                      (B) 25 percent of such cost upon the completion of 
                  the program by the veteran; and
                      (C) 50 percent of such cost upon the employment of 
                  the veteran following completion of the program.
              (3) Qualified providers.--For purposes of the pilot 
          program, a provider of a high technology program of education 
          is qualified if the provider has been operational for at least 
          two years.
              (4) Tuition reimbursement.--In entering into contracts to 
          carry out the pilot program, the Secretary shall give 
          preference to a qualified provider that offers tuition 
          reimbursement for any student who--
                      (A) completes a program of education offered by the 
                  provider; and
                      (B) does not find full-time meaningful employment 
                  within the 180-day period beginning on the date the 
                  student completes the program.
      (d) Housing Stipend.--The Secretary shall pay to each eligible 
  veteran who is enrolled in a high technology program of education under 
  the pilot program on a full-time basis a monthly housing stipend equal 
  to the product--
              (1) of--
                      (A) in the case of a veteran pursuing resident 
                  training, the monthly amount of the basic allowance for 
                  housing payable under section 403 of title 37, United 
                  States Code, for a member with dependents in pay grade 
                  E-5 residing in the military housing area that 
                  encompasses all or the majority portion of the ZIP code 
                  area in which is located the institution at which the 
                  individual is enrolled; or
                      (B) in the case of a veteran pursuing a program of 
                  education through distance learning, a monthly amount 
                  equal to 50 percent of the amount payable under 
                  subparagraph (A), multiplied by
              (2) the lesser of--
                      (A) 1.0; or
                      (B) the number of course hours borne by the 
                  individual in pursuit of the program of education 
                  involved, divided by the minimum number of course hours 
                  required for full-time pursuit of such program of 
                  education, rounded to the nearest multiple of 10.
      (e) High Technology Program of Education Defined.--In this section, 
  the term ``high technology program of education'' means a program of 
  education that--
              (1) is offered by an entity other than an institution of 
          higher learning;
              (2) does not lead to a degree; and
              (3) provides instruction in computer programming, computer 
          software, media application, data processing, or information 
          sciences.
      (f) Reports.--
              (1) Secretary of veterans affairs.--Not later than one year 
          after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
          thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
          the pilot program under this section.
              (2) Comptroller general.--
                      (A) Interim report.--Not later than three years 
                  after the date on which the Secretary first enters into 
                  a contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                  of the United States shall submit to Congress a report 
                  containing the results of the interim assessment of the 
                  Comptroller General. Such report shall include the 
                  recommendations of the Comptroller General for 
                  improving the pilot program and an assessment of each 
                  of the following:
                              (i) The technology experience of the 
                          directors and instructors of the providers of 
                          high technology programs of education under the 
                          pilot program.
                              (ii) Whether the providers cooperated with 
                          the technology industry to create the 
                          curriculum for the program of education.
                              (iii) Whether the providers use an open 
                          source curriculum for the program of education.
                              (iv) The admittance rate into the pilot 
                          program.
                              (v) The job placement rate for veterans who 
                          completed a program of education under the 
                          pilot program.
                              (vi) The average salary of veterans who 
                          completed a program of education under the 
                          pilot program and were subsequently employed.
                              (vii) The average age of veterans who 
                          participated in the pilot program.
                      (B) Final report.--Not later than five years after 
                  the date on which the Secretary first enters into a 
                  contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                  shall submit to Congress a final report on the pilot 
                  program. Such report shall include the recommendation 
                  of the Comptroller General with respect to whether the 
                  program should be extended and an assessment of each of 
                  the following:
                              (i) Each item described in clauses (i) 
                          through (vii) of subparagraph (A).
                              (ii) The percentage of veterans who 
                          completed a program of education under the 
                          pilot program who were subsequently employed 
                          for a period of six months or longer.
      (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
  appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $15,000,000 for each 
  fiscal year during which the Secretary carries out a pilot program 
  under this section.
      (h) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under 
  this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the 
  date on which the Secretary first enters into a contract under this 
  section.
target: Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses Act or the VET TEC Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program to provide eligible veterans with the opportunity to enroll in high technology programs of education.  An &quot;eligible veteran&quot; is one who is entitled to educational assistance under the laws administered by the VA.  A &quot;high technology program of education&quot; is one that is offered by an entity other than an institution of higher learning, does not lead to a degree, and provides instruction in computer programming, computer software, media application, data processing, or information sciences. The VA shall enter into contracts with multiple qualified providers of such programs, under which the VA shall pay: (1) 25% of the cost of providing the program upon the enrollment of an eligible veteran, (2) 25% of such cost when the veteran completes the program, and (3) 50% of such cost upon the veteran's employment following completion. The VA shall give preference to a qualified provider that offers tuition reimbursement for any student who completes the program and does not find full-time meaningful employment within 180 days. The VA shall pay a monthly housing stipend to each eligible veteran enrolled full-time in such a program.   
feat_title: Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses Act