[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3993 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3993
To amend title 38, United States Code, and title 10, United States
Code, to eliminate those provisions relating to veterans educational
assistance that disadvantage eligible individuals who choose to pursue
programs of apprenticeship or other on-job training instead of a four-
year college degree, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 4, 2026
Mr. Sheehy (for himself, Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Duckworth, Mr.
Sullivan, and Mr. Gallego) 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, and title 10, United States
Code, to eliminate those provisions relating to veterans educational
assistance that disadvantage eligible individuals who choose to pursue
programs of apprenticeship or other on-job training instead of a four-
year college degree, and for other purposes.
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 ``Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to
Apprenticeship Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATING PROVISIONS RELATING TO VETERANS EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE THAT DISADVANTAGE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO
CHOOSE TO PURSUE PROGRAMS OF APPRENTICESHIP OR OTHER ON-
JOB TRAINING.
(a) Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.--
(1) Ensuring the amount of assistance for full-time program
of apprenticeship or other on-job training does not deter
individuals interested in such programs and training.--Clause
(i) of section 3313(g)(3)(B) of title 38, Unites States Code,
is amended by striking ``a monthly housing stipend equal to--''
and all that follows through the period at the end and
inserting the following: ``a monthly housing stipend equal to
the monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing payable
under section 403 of title 37 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 employer at which the individual pursues
such program.''.
(2) Waiver of minimum attendance requirement for receipt of
assistance for programs of apprenticeship and other on-job
training in construction industry.--Clause (iv) of such section
is amended--
(A) by striking ``In any month'' and inserting
``(I) Except as provided in subclause (II), in any
month''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subclause:
``(II) Subclause (I) shall not apply to an
individual pursuing a program of apprenticeship
or other on-job training for an occupation that
performs work classified in Sector 23 of the
most recent publication of the North American
Industry Classification System.''.
(b) All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program.--
(1) Ensuring the amount of assistance for full-time program
of apprenticeship or other on-job training does not deter
individuals interested in such programs and training.--
(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) of section 3032(c)
of such title is amended by striking ``this chapter
is--'' and all that follows through the period at the
end and inserting the following: ``this chapter is 100
percent of the monthly educational assistance allowance
otherwise payable to such individual under this
chapter.''.
(B) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (3) of such
section is amended by striking ``at the rate of--'' and
all that follows through the period at the end and
inserting the following: ``at the rate of 100 percent
of a month.''.
(2) Waiver of minimum attendance requirement for receipt of
assistance for programs of apprenticeship and other on-job
training in construction industry.--Paragraph (2) of such
section is amended--
(A) by striking ``In any month'' and inserting
``(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in any
month''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subclause:
``(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an individual pursuing a
program of apprenticeship or other on-job training for an occupation
that performs work classified in Sector 23 of the most recent
publication of the North American Industry Classification System.''.
(c) Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve.--
(1) Ensuring the amount of assistance for full-time program
of apprenticeship or other on-job training does not deter
individuals interested in such programs and training.--
(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) of section 16131(d)
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking
``this chapter is--'' and all that follows through the
period at the end and inserting the following: ``this
chapter is 100 percent of the monthly educational
assistance allowance otherwise payable to such person
under this chapter.''.
(B) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (3) of such
section is amended by striking ``at the rate of--'' and
all that follows through the period at the end and
inserting the following: ``at the rate of 100 percent
of a month.''.
(2) Waiver of minimum attendance requirement for receipt of
assistance for programs of apprenticeship and other on-job
training in construction industry.--Paragraph (2) of such
section is amended--
(A) by striking ``In any month'' and inserting
``(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in any
month''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subclause:
``(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an individual pursuing a
program of apprenticeship or other on-job training for an occupation
that performs work classified in Sector 23 of the most recent
publication of the North American Industry Classification System.''.
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