
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 38USC3451]

 
                      TITLE 38--VETERANS' BENEFITS
 
               PART III--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS
 
              CHAPTER 34--VETERANS' EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
 
                   SUBCHAPTER I--PURPOSE--DEFINITIONS
 
Sec. 3451. Purpose

    The Congress of the United States hereby declares that the education 
program created by this chapter is for the purpose of (1) enhancing and 
making more attractive service in the Armed Forces of the United States, 
(2) extending the benefits of a higher education to qualified and 
deserving young persons who might not otherwise be able to afford such 
an education, (3) providing vocational readjustment and restoring lost 
educational opportunities to those service men and women whose careers 
have been interrupted or impeded by reason of active duty after January 
31, 1955, and (4) aiding such persons in attaining the vocational and 
educational status which they might normally have aspired to and 
obtained had they not served their country.

(Added Pub. L. 89-358, Sec. 2, Mar. 3, 1966, 80 Stat. 12, Sec. 1651; 
renumbered Sec. 3451, Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 
406.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those comprising clauses (3) and (4) of this 
section were contained in Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1175, 
which was classified to former section 1601(c) of this title, prior to 
repeal by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 89-358.


                               Amendments

    1991--Pub. L. 102-83 renumbered section 1651 of this title as this 
section.


                             Effective Date

    Section 12(a) of Pub. L. 89-358 provided that: ``Except as otherwise 
specifically provided, the provisions of this Act [see Tables for 
classification] shall take effect on the date of its enactment [Mar. 3, 
1966], but no educational assistance allowance shall be payable under 
chapter 34 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2 of 
this Act, for any period before June 1, 1966, nor for the month of June 
1966, unless (1) the eligible veteran commenced the pursuit of the 
course of education on or after June 1, 1966, or (2) the pursuit of such 
course continued through June 30, 1966.''


                            Savings Provision

    Section 4(b) of Pub. L. 89-358 provided that: ``Nothing in this Act 
or any amendment or repeal made by it [see Tables for classification], 
shall affect any right or liability (civil or criminal) which matured 
under chapter 33 of this title 38 before the date of enactment of this 
Act [Mar. 3, 1966]: and all offenses committed, and all penalties and 
forfeitures incurred, under any provision of law amended or repealed by 
this Act, may be punished or recovered, as the case may be, in the same 
manner and with the same effect as if such amendments or repeals had not 
been made.''
