Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 3.djvu/64

 113 STAT. 1582 PUBLIC LAW 106-117—NOV. 30, 1999 Subtitle C—Burial Benefits Deadline. Contracts. Deadlines. SEC. 621. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON IMPROVEMENTS TO VETERANS' BURIAL BENEFITS. (a) STUDY.— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with one or more qualified organizations to conduct a study of burial benefits under chapter 23 of title 38, United States Code. For purposes of this section, an entity of Federal, State, or local government is not a qualified organization. (b) MATTERS STUDIED.— The study conducted pursuant to the contract entered into under subsection (a) shall include consideration of the following: (1) An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the burial benefits administered by the Secretary under chapter 23 of title 38, United States Code, in meeting the burial needs of veterans and their families. (2) Options to better serve the burial needs of veterans and their families, including modifications to burial benefit amounts and eligibility, together with the estimated cost for each such modification. (3) Expansion of the authority of the Secretary to provide burial benefits for burials in private-sector cemeteries and to make grants to private-sector cemeteries. (c) REPORT.— (1) Not later than 120 days after the date on which a qualified organization enters into a contract under subsection (a), the organization shall submit to the Secretary a report setting forth the results of the study conducted and conclusions of the organization with respect to those results. (2) Not later than 60 days after the date on which a report is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of the report, together with any comments on the report that the Secretary considers appropriate. TITLE VII—EDUCATION AND HOUSING MATTERS Subtitle A—Education Matters SEC. 701. AVAILABILITY OF MONTGOMERY GI BILL BENEFITS FOR PRE- PARATORY COURSES FOR COLLEGE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMS. Section 3002(3) is amended— (1) by striking ", and" at the end of subparagraph (A) and inserting a semicolon; (2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and (3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B): "(B) includes— "(i) a preparatory course for a test that is required or used for admission to an institution of higher education; and

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