{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/kaine-to-announce-bill-to-improve-veterans-education", "Kaine to Announce Bill to Improve Veterans' Education", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine to Announce Bill to Improve Veterans' Education\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tThe SERVE Act Will Raise Standards for Educational Institutions, Facilitate the Use of Veterans\u2019 Benefits for Training and Apprenticeships\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, November 8, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine will announce the Servicemember Education Reform and Vocational Enhancement (SERVE) Act of 2013 at veterans events in Winchester and Richmond today.\r\nThe SERVE Act, which is a companion to Kaine\u2019s first bill, the Troop Talent Act, will improve the quality of education received by servicemembers and veterans. The legislation will also create pilot programs to facilitate the use of veterans\u2019 education benefits for employment and on-the-job training programs and will require that institutions accepting Veterans Administration (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) education benefits provide access to academic or career counseling.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce a second piece of legislation that seeks to help veterans transition to the civilian workforce,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cAccess to high-quality education and job training is the best tool we can provide to our nation\u2019s veterans as they return home and transition into civilian life.\u00a0 This bill increases minimum standards for programs and institutions accepting VA and DoD education benefits to be consistent with other types of federal tuition assistance, including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans.\u00a0 A companion to my first bill, the Troop Talent Act, this bill will also facilitate the use of educational benefits for apprenticeships, vocational, and on-the-job training programs which often get veterans employed faster and at a lower cost.\u201d\r\nThe SERVE Act of 2013 will:\r\nRequire institutions accepting VA or DoD educational benefits to meet minimum standards by ensuring consistency between federal agencies. Raising the bar on minimum standards that educational institutions must meet ensures servicemembers are getting a quality education.\r\nImprove transparency of education and training programs by requiring institutions to disclose information such as graduation rates, withdrawal policies, and program costs to students and by ensuring programs fully deliver what they advertise.\r\nRequire these institutions to provide access to academic and/or career counseling for military and veteran students in hopes of not only improving their chances of graduating, but also helping prepare them for future careers.\r\nFacilitate the use of VA and DoD educational benefits for employment training programs by creating a five-state pilot program. States will be charged with developing best practices needed to ensure that quality employment training, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training programs are eligible for participation in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program.\r\nRequire an annual report to relevant Senate and House Committees on which schools and programs veteran and military students are putting their educational benefits toward, the number of complaints received, and recommendations for further legislative action to improve educational outcomes and ensure the greatest return on investment in these federal programs.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/kaine-to-announce-bill-to-improve-veterans-education"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.4710430298000574, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}