The U.S. Senate on Nov. 6 unanimously approved a bipartisan bill proposed by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) that would expand access for United States military veterans to commercial driver license (CDL) schools.
“I’m glad to see our bipartisan legislation to support veterans pass the Senate with unanimous support,” Sen. Fischer said. “Trucking is a vital part of our economy, yet unnecessary red tape continues to prevent some veterans from utilizing their GI benefits in the industry.”
Sen. Fischer in March sponsored the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023, S. 656, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) to ensure that veterans’ GI benefits can be utilized at new branches of CDL schools that have already received regulatory approval, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
Currently, if an approved trucking school opens a secondary facility in a new location, existing laws require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and state regulators to deny the branch’s ability to receive GI benefits for two years, the summary says.
By clarifying this two-year moratorium statute, S. 656 would allow veterans more accessibility to nearby CDL schools and ultimately to high-paying careers in the industry, states the summary.
The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, where it is being led by U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC).
“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to get this legislation to the president’s desk,” said Sen. Fischer.
The legislation has garnered support from numerous organizations, including the American Legion, Moving Veterans Forward, Student Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the American Trucking Associations, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, and the Transportation Builders Association, among many others.