ACCELERATED PAYMENTS OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNDER MONTGOMERY GI BILL FOR EDUCATION LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT IN HIGH TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.

SEC. 104. ACCELERATED PAYMENTS OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNDER MONTGOMERY GI BILL FOR EDUCATION LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT IN HIGH TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY. (a) In general.—(1) Chapter 30 is amended by inserting after section 3014 the following new section: “§ 3014A. Accelerated payment of basic educational assistance for education leading to employment in high technology industry “(a) An individual described in subsection (b) who is entitled to basic educational assistance under this subchapter may elect to receive an accelerated payment of the basic educational assistance allowance otherwise payable to the individual under section 3015 of this title. “(b) An individual described in this subsection is an individual who is— “(1) enrolled in an approved program of education that leads to employment in a high technology industry (as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary); and “(2) charged tuition and fees for the program of education that, when divided by the number of months (and fractions thereof) in the enrollment period, exceeds the amount equal to 200 percent of the monthly rate of basic educational assistance allowance otherwise payable to the individual under section 3015 of this title. “(c)(1) The amount of the accelerated payment of basic educational assistance made to an individual making an election under subsection (a) for a program of education shall be the lesser of— “(A) the amount equal to 60 percent of the established charges for the program of education; or “(B) the aggregate amount of basic educational assistance to which the individual remains entitled under this chapter at the time of the payment. “(2) In this subsection, the term ‘established charges’, in the case of a program of education, means the actual charges (as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary) for tuition and fees which similarly circumstanced nonveterans enrolled in the program of education would be required to pay. Established charges shall be determined on the following basis: “(A) In the case of an individual enrolled in a program of education offered on a term, quarter, or semester basis, the tuition and fees charged the individual for the term, quarter, or semester. “(B) In the case of an individual enrolled in a program of education not offered on a term, quarter, or semester basis, the tuition and fees charged the individual for the entire program of education. “(3) The educational institution providing the program of education for which an accelerated payment of basic educational assistance allowance is elected by an individual under subsection (a) shall certify to the Secretary the amount of the established charges for the program of education. 115 STAT. 981 “(d) An accelerated payment of basic educational assistance made to an individual under this section for a program of education shall be made not later than the last day of the month immediately following the month in which the Secretary receives a certification from the educational institution regarding— “(1) the individual’s enrollment in and pursuit of the program of education; and “(2) the amount of the established charges for the program of education. “(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), for each accelerated payment of basic educational assistance made to an individual under this section, the individual’s entitlement to basic educational assistance under this chapter shall be charged the number of months (and any fraction thereof) determined by dividing the amount of the accelerated payment by the full-time monthly rate of basic educational assistance allowance otherwise payable to the individual under section 3015 of this title as of the beginning date of the enrollment period for the program of education for which the accelerated payment is made. “(2) If the monthly rate of basic educational assistance allowance otherwise payable to an individual under section 3015 of this title increases during the enrollment period of a program of education for which an accelerated payment of basic educational assistance is made under this section, the charge to the individual’s entitlement to basic educational assistance under this chapter shall be determined by prorating the entitlement chargeable, in the matter provided for under paragraph (1), for the periods covered by the initial rate and increased rate, respectively, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary. “(f) The Secretary may not make an accelerated payment under this section for a program of education to an individual who has received an advance payment under section 3680(d) of this title for the same enrollment period. “(g) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. The regulations shall include requirements, conditions, and methods for the request, issuance, delivery, certification of receipt and use, and recovery of overpayment of an accelerated payment under this section.”. (2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3014 the following new item: “3014A. Accelerated payment of basic educational assistance for education leading to employment in high technology industry.”. (b) Restatement and Enhancement of Certain Administrative authorities.—Subsection (g) of section 3680 is amended to read as follows: “Determination of Enrollment, Pursuit, and Attendance “(g)(1) The Secretary may, pursuant to regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe, determine and define with respect to an eligible veteran and eligible person the following: “(A) Enrollment in a course or program of education or training. “(B) Pursuit of a course or program of education or training. “(C) Attendance at a course or program of education or training. 115 STAT. 982 “(2) The Secretary may withhold payment of benefits to an eligible veteran or eligible person until the Secretary receives such proof as the Secretary may require of enrollment in and satisfactory pursuit of a program of education by the eligible veteran or eligible person. The Secretary shall adjust the payment withheld, when necessary, on the basis of the proof the Secretary receives. “(3) In the case of an individual other than an individual described in paragraph (4), the Secretary may accept the individual’s monthly certification of enrollment in and satisfactory pursuit of a program of education as sufficient proof of the certified matters. “(4) In the case of an individual who has received an accelerated payment of basic educational assistance under section 3014A of this title during an enrollment period for a program of education, the Secretary may accept the individual’s certification of enrollment in and satisfactory pursuit of the program of education as sufficient proof of the certified matters if the certification is submitted after the enrollment period has ended.”. (c) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect October 1, 2002, and shall apply with respect to enrollments in courses or programs of education or training beginning on or after that date.