Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/3268

 119 STAT. 3250

PUBLIC LAW 109–163—JAN. 6, 2006

SEC. 538. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ‘‘§ 2015. Payment of expenses to obtain professional credentials ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, may pay for— ‘‘(1) expenses for members of the armed forces to obtain professional credentials, including expenses for professional accreditation, State-imposed and professional licenses, and professional certification; and ‘‘(2) examinations to obtain such credentials. ‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—The authority under subsection (a) may not be used to pay the expenses of a member to obtain professional credentials that are a prerequisite for appointment in the armed forces.’’. (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ‘‘2015. Payment of expenses to obtain professional credentials.’’. SEC. 539. USE OF RESERVE MONTGOMERY GI BILL BENEFITS AND BENEFITS FOR MOBILIZED MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD FOR PAYMENTS FOR LICENSING OR CERTIFICATION TESTS.

10 USC 16131 note.

VerDate 14-DEC-2004

07:21 Oct 30, 2006

(a) CHAPTER 1606.—Section 16131 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ‘‘(j)(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the amount of educational assistance payable under this chapter for a licensing or certification test described in section 3452(b) of title 38 is the lesser of $2,000 or the fee charged for the test. ‘‘(2) The number of months of entitlement charged in the case of any individual for such licensing or certification test is equal to the number (including any fraction) determined by dividing the total amount of educational assistance paid such individual for such test by the full-time monthly institutional rate of educational assistance which, but for paragraph (1), such individual would otherwise be paid under subsection (b). ‘‘(3) In no event shall payment of educational assistance under this subsection for such a test exceed the amount of the individual’s available entitlement under this chapter.’’. (b) CHAPTER 1607.—Section 16162 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ‘‘(e) AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE FOR LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION TESTS.—The provisions of section 16131(j) of this title shall apply to the provision of educational assistance under this chapter, except that, in applying such section under this chapter, the reference to subsection (b) in paragraph (2) of such section is deemed to be a reference to subsection (c) of this section.’’. (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to a licensing or certification test administered on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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