S. 656 

One Hundred Eighteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty four 

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. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

Driver License Act of 2023’’. 

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR APPROVAL OF COMMERCIAL 

DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE. 

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

Code, is amended— 

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) as subparagraphs (A) though (C), respectively; 

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

by paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 

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

by inserting ‘‘except as provided in paragraph (2),’’ before ‘‘the 

course’’; and 

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

(2): 

‘‘(2)(A) Subject to this paragraph, a commercial driver education 

program is exempt from paragraph (1)(B) for a branch of an educational institution if the commercial driver education program 

offered at the branch by the educational institution— 

‘‘(i) is appropriately licensed; and 

‘‘(ii) uses the same curriculum as a commercial driver education program offered by the educational institution at another 

location that is approved for purposes of this chapter by a 

State approving agency or the Secretary when acting in the 

role of a State approving agency. 

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

of an educational institution offered at a branch described in paragraph (1)(B) to be exempt under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, 

the educational institution shall submit to the Secretary each year 

that paragraph (1)(B) would otherwise apply a report that demonstrates that the curriculum at the new branch is the same as 

the curriculum at the primary location. 

‘‘(ii) Reporting under clause (i) shall be submitted in accordance 

with such requirements as the Secretary shall establish in consultation with the State approving agencies. 
S. 656—2 

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

subparagraph (A) for any educational institution or branch of an 

educational institution as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

‘‘(ii) In making any determination under clause (i), the Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Transportation on the 

performance of a provider of a commercial driver program, including 

the status of the provider within the Training Provider Registry 

of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration when appropriate.’’. 

(b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 180 

days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs shall establish requirements under section 

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

(2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by subsection 

(a) shall apply to commercial driver education programs on 

and after the date that is 180 days after the date on which 

the Secretary establishes the requirements under paragraph 

(1) of this subsection. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.