118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 656 

AN ACT 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Improvement 

3 Commercial Driver License Act of 2023’’. 

4 SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR APPROVAL OF COM5 MERCIAL DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS 

6 FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL 

7 ASSISTANCE. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3680A(e) of title 38, 

9 United States Code, is amended— 

10 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 

11 (3) as subparagraphs (A) though (C), respectively; 

12 (2) in the matter before subparagraph (A), as 

13 redesignated by paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ 

14 before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 

15 (3) in paragraph (1)(B), as redesignated by 

16 paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘except as provided in 

17 paragraph (2),’’ before ‘‘the course’’; and 

18 (4) by adding at the end the following new 

19 paragraph (2): 

20 ‘‘(2)(A) Subject to this paragraph, a commercial driv21 er education program is exempt from paragraph (1)(B) 

22 for a branch of an educational institution if the commer23 cial driver education program offered at the branch by the 

24 educational institution— 

25 ‘‘(i) is appropriately licensed; and 
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1 ‘‘(ii) uses the same curriculum as a commercial 

2 driver education program offered by the educational 

3 institution at another location that is approved for 

4 purposes of this chapter by a State approving agen5 cy or the Secretary when acting in the role of a 

6 State approving agency. 

7 ‘‘(B)(i) In order for a commercial driver education 

8 program of an educational institution offered at a branch 

9 described in paragraph (1)(B) to be exempt under sub10 paragraph (A) of this paragraph, the educational institu11 tion shall submit to the Secretary each year that para12 graph (1)(B) would otherwise apply a report that dem13 onstrates that the curriculum at the new branch is the 

14 same as the curriculum at the primary location. 

15 ‘‘(ii) Reporting under clause (i) shall be submitted 

16 in accordance with such requirements as the Secretary 

17 shall establish in consultation with the State approving 

18 agencies. 

19 ‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary may withhold an exemption 

20 under subparagraph (A) for any educational institution or 

21 branch of an educational institution as the Secretary con22 siders appropriate. 

23 ‘‘(ii) In making any determination under clause (i), 

24 the Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Transpor25 tation on the performance of a provider of a commercial 
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1 driver program, including the status of the provider within 

2 the Training Provider Registry of the Federal Motor Car3 rier Safety Administration when appropriate.’’. 

4 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

5 (1) ESTABLISHMENT OF REQUIREMENTS.—Not 

6 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

7 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

8 establish requirements under section 

9 3680A(e)(2)(B)(ii) of such title, as added by sub10 section (a). 

11 (2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made 

12 by subsection (a) shall apply to commercial driver 

13 education programs on and after the date that is 

14 180 days after the date on which the Secretary es15 tablishes the requirements under paragraph (1) of 

16 this subsection. 

Passed the Senate November 2, 2023. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 656 

AN ACT 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise 

sistance, and for other purposes. grams for purposes of veterans educational aserans Affairs of commercial driver education prothe rules for approval by the Secretary of Vet-