Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2830 To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the rules for approval by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of commercial driver education programs for purposes of veterans educational assistance, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 25, 2023 Mr. EDWARDS (for himself, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. CRANE, and Ms. SPANBERGER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the rules for approval by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of commercial driver education programs for purposes of veterans educational assistance, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Improvement 4 Commercial Driver License Act of 2023’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 May 01, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2830.IH H2830 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2830 IH SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR APPROVAL OF COM- 1 MERCIAL DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS 2 FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL 3 ASSISTANCE. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3680A(e) of title 38, 5 United States Code, is amended— 6 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 7 (3) as subparagraphs (A) though (C), respectively; 8 (2) in the matter before subparagraph (A), as 9 redesignated by paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ 10 before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 11 (3) in paragraph (1)(B), as redesignated by 12 paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘except as provided in 13 paragraph (2),’’ before ‘‘the course’’; and 14 (4) by adding at the end the following new 15 paragraph (2): 16 ‘‘(2)(A) Subject to this paragraph, a commercial driv- 17 er education program is exempt from paragraph (1)(B) 18 for a branch of an educational institution if the commer- 19 cial driver education program offered at the branch by the 20 educational institution— 21 ‘‘(i) is appropriately licensed; and 22 ‘‘(ii) uses the same curriculum as a commercial 23 driver education program offered by the educational 24 institution at another location that is approved for 25 purposes of this chapter by a State approving agen- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 May 01, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2830.IH H2830 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2830 IH cy or the Secretary when acting in the role of a 1 State approving agency. 2 ‘‘(B)(i) In order for a commercial driver education 3 program of an educational institution offered at a branch 4 described in paragraph (1)(B) to be exempt under sub- 5 paragraph (A) of this paragraph, the educational institu- 6 tion shall submit to the Secretary each year that para- 7 graph (1)(B) would otherwise apply a report that dem- 8 onstrates that the curriculum at the new branch is the 9 same as the curriculum at the primary location. 10 ‘‘(ii) Reporting under clause (i) shall be submitted 11 in accordance with such requirements as the Secretary 12 shall establish in consultation with the State approving 13 agencies. 14 ‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary may withhold an exemption 15 under subparagraph (A) for any educational institution or 16 branch of an educational institution as the Secretary con- 17 siders appropriate. 18 ‘‘(ii) In making any determination under clause (i), 19 the Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Transpor- 20 tation on the performance of a provider of a commercial 21 driver program, including the status of the provider within 22 the Training Provider Registry of the Federal Motor Car- 23 rier Safety Administration when appropriate.’’. 24 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 May 01, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2830.IH H2830 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2830 IH (1) ESTABLISHMENT OF REQUIREMENTS.—Not 1 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 2 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 3 establish requirements under section 4 3680A(e)(2)(B)(ii) of such title, as added by sub- 5 section (a). 6 (2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made 7 by subsection (a) shall apply to commercial driver 8 education programs on and after the date that is 9 180 days after the date on which the Secretary es- 10 tablishes the requirements under paragraph (1) of 11 this subsection. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:55 May 01, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2830.IH H2830 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS