CONTINUATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR CRITICAL SKILLS OR SPECIALTY.

SEC. 109. CONTINUATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR CRITICAL SKILLS OR SPECIALTY.(a) In General.—Section 3316 is amended—(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):“(c) Continuation of Increased Educational Assistance.—“(1) In general.—An individual who made an election to receive educational assistance under this chapter pursuant to section 5003(c)(1)(A) of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. 3301 note) and who, at the time of the election, was entitled to increased educational assistance under section 3015(d) or section 16131(i) of title 10 shall remain entitled to increased educational assistance in the utilization of the individual’s entitlement to educational assistance under this chapter.“(2) Rate.—The monthly rate of increased educational assistance payable to an individual under paragraph (1) shall be—“(A) the rate of educational assistance otherwise payable to the individual under section 3015(d) or section 16131(i) of title 10, as the case may be, had the individual not made the election described in paragraph (1), multiplied by“(B) the lesser of—“(i) 1.0; or“(ii) the number of course hours borne by the individual in pursuit of the program of education involved 124 STAT. 4120 divided by the minimum number of course hours required for full-time pursuit of the program of education, rounded to the nearest multiple of 10.“(3) Frequency of payment.—Payment of the amounts payable under paragraph (1) during pursuit of a program of education shall be made on a monthly basis.”.(b) Clarification on Funding of Increased Assistance.—(1) In general.—Such section is further amended by inserting after subsection (c), as added by subsection (a)(2) of this section, the following new subsection:“(d) Funding.—Payments for increased educational assistance under this section shall be made from the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund under section 2006 of title 10 or from appropriations available to the Department of Homeland Security for that purpose, as applicable.”.(2) Conforming amendments.—Section 2006(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting “or 33” after “chapter 30”; and(B) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:“(E) The present value of any future benefits payable from the Fund for amounts attributable to increased amounts of educational assistance authorized by section 3316 of title 38.”.(c) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect on August 1, 2011.