{"abstract":"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulations governing the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program to implement statutory provisions in the Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000, the Veterans' Survivor Benefits Improvements Act of 2001, the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2002, and the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003. As a result of these statutory provisions, certain eligible children may choose the beginning date of their period of eligibility and eligible children who serve on active duty or in the National Guard may receive extensions to the ending date of their period of eligibility. These statutory provisions also allow VA to consider certain qualifying beneficiaries' original claims as having been filed retroactively to their eligibility dates. In addition, they allow certain eligible DEA beneficiaries to be paid for preparatory courses for tests required or used for admission to an institution of higher education or a graduate school. Further, these provisions permit eligible children to receive benefits for such preparatory courses even if the courses are taken before their 18th birthday. This document implements these provisions of law by amending pertinent regulations.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS","name":"Veterans Affairs Department","id":520,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/veterans-affairs-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/520","parent_id":null,"slug":"veterans-affairs-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2008/05/28/E8-11726.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":21,"title":38}],"citation":"73 FR 30486","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective Date: This final rule is effective May 28, 2008.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"E8-11726","effective_on":"2008-05-28","end_page":30492,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2008/05/28/E8-11726.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2008/05/28/E8-11726/survivors-and-dependents-educational-assistance-program-period-of-eligibility-for-eligible-children","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/E8-11726?publication_date=2008-05-28","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2008-05-28/E8-11726/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":7,"page_views":{"count":3395,"last_updated":"2026-10-24 10:15:05 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2008-05-28/pdf/E8-11726.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2008-05-28","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2008/05/28/E8-11726.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2900-AL44":{"issue":"200804","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2900-AL44/survivors-and-dependents-educational-assistance-program-period-of-eligibility-for-eligible-children-","title":"Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program Period of Eligibility for Eligible Children and Other Miscellaneous Issues","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=200804&RIN=2900-AL44&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2900-AL44"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2012-03-05T23:10:59Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":30486,"subtype":null,"title":"Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program Period of Eligibility for Eligible Children and Other Miscellaneous Issues","toc_doc":"Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program; Period of Eligibility for Eligible Children and Other Miscellaneous Issues","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Armed forces","Civil rights","Claims","Colleges and universities","Education","Employment","Grant programs-education","Grant programs-veterans","Health care","Loan programs-education","Loan programs-veterans","Manpower training programs","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Schools","Travel and transportation expenses","Veterans","Vocational education","Vocational rehabilitation"],"type":"Rule","volume":73}