WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
The legislation, which passed the Senate in November 2023, will expand veterans’ training opportunities in the trucking industry. The bill now awaits the president’s signature.
“Our veterans deserve every opportunity to participate in the American dream they’ve fought to protect,” Senator Fischer said. “But when their service is over, many veterans face unfair roadblocks when they look for jobs. My legislation makes it easier for veterans to get their CDL licenses and earn a good living.”
According to a press release from Fischer’s office, current laws prevent new trucking school locations from accepting GI Bill benefits for two years after opening, including new locations opened by schools that are already established. Fischer’s legislation will allow new facilities to accept GI Bill benefits if their primary institutions have already received regulatory approval.
Fischer introduced the bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Senator Alex Padilla in March 2023. It was introduced in the House by Representatives Chris Pappas and Chuck Edwards.
The bill has received endorsements from:
Veteran Service Organizations: American Legion, Moving Veterans Forward, Student Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Great Plains Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Nebraska Military Officers Association of America.
Labor Organizations: International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Trucking Industry Groups: Werner Trucking, American Trucking Association, Commercial Vehicle Training Association, and Nebraska Trucking Association.
Click here to read the text of the bill.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
