S. 3993

[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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