I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6380 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to 

provide flight training for military veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 13, 2023 

Mr. GOODEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. 

WEBER of Texas, Mr. GUEST, Mr. VAN ORDEN, Mr. BACON, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. VAN DREW, and Mr. MOORE of Alabama) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each 

case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 

the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 

pilot program to provide flight training for military veterans, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wings for Veterans 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FLIGHT TRAINING. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 120 days after 

3 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans4 portation shall establish a pilot program (in this Act re5 ferred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to award grants to not more 

6 than 10 covered flight schools to provide flight training 

7 to eligible veterans. 

8 (b) GRANT AMOUNT.—Each grant awarded under 

9 this section may not exceed $500,000. 

10 (c) ELIGIBLE USES.—A covered flight school may 

11 only use a grant awarded under the Program for the fol12 lowing: 

13 (1) The provision of guidance and pilot training 

14 services, including tuition and flight training fees for 

15 veterans enrolled in such flight school and any train16 ing required for eligible veterans to earn the fol17 lowing certificates and ratings issued under part 141 

18 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations: 

19 (A) A private pilot certificate. 

20 (B) A commercial pilot certificate. 

21 (C) A certified flight instructor certificate. 

22 (D) A certified flight instructor instrument 

23 certificate. 

24 (E) An instrument rating. 

25 (F) A multiengine rating. 


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1 (2) The provision of books, training materials, 

2 and equipment to support pilot training activities 

3 and related education for veterans enrolled in such 

4 flight school. 

5 (3) Administrative costs related to providing the 

6 services described in this subsection, not to exceed 

7 10 percent of the amount awarded. 

8 (d) APPLICATIONS TO RECEIVE FLIGHT TRAIN9 ING.—A covered flight school receiving a grant under the 

10 Program shall be responsible for— 

11 (1) soliciting applications for flight training 

12 from eligible veterans; 

13 (2) reviewing such applications to verify that 

14 applicants meet the definition of eligible veteran; 

15 and 

16 (3) selecting from such applications eligible vet17 erans to receive flight training and enrolling such 

18 veterans in appropriate flight training programs. 

19 (e) TERMINATION.—The Program shall terminate 18 

20 months after the date on which the Program is established 

21 under subsection (a). 

22 (f) REPORTS.— 

23 (1) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—Each covered 

24 flight school that receives a grant under the Pro25 gram shall periodically submit to the Secretary a reVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Nov 29, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6380.IH H6380

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1 port describing the use of grant funds and include 

2 in such report documentation of training completed 

3 by veterans enrolled in such flight school under the 

4 Program. 

5 (2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 

6 180 days after the Program terminates under sub7 section (e), the Secretary of Transportation, in con8 sultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 

9 shall submit to the Committees on Education and 

10 Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Vet11 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives, a re12 port that includes a description of the following: 

13 (A) How the improvement of the consist14 ency and eligibility for assistance under chapter 

15 33 of title 38, United States Code, may used to 

16 provide flight training to veterans. 

17 (B) The costs associated with obtaining a 

18 commercial pilot certificate and ways in which 

19 such costs could be reduced for veterans seek20 ing a commercial pilot certificate. 

21 (C) Ways to increase cooperation between 

22 the Department of Transportation and veterans 

23 service organizations to recruit, screen, and 

24 train veterans as commercial pilots. 


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1 (D) Ways to improve the availability of 

2 Federal student loans to veterans to use for at3 tending vocational flight school. 

4 (E) A model program under which States 

5 and domestic commercial airlines provide assist6 ance to veterans to obtain the flight training 

7 necessary to obtain a commercial pilot certifi8 cate with a multiengine rating. 

9 (F) Rates of successful completion of cer10 tification by veterans enrolled in a covered 

11 flight school under the Program. 

12 (G) Challenges faced by such veterans 

13 while receiving flight training. 

14 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

15 (1) COVERED FLIGHT SCHOOL.—The term 

16 ‘‘covered flight school’’ means a flight school that 

17 holds a pilot school certificate under part 141 of title 

18 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 

19 (2) ELIGIBLE VETERAN.—The term ‘‘eligible 

20 veteran’’ means an individual who— 

21 (A) served in the active military, naval, air, 

22 or space service, and who was discharged or re23 leased from such service with an honorable dis24 charge; 


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1 (B) meets regulatory requirements set 

2 forth by the Secretary to obtain at least a sec3 ond class medical certificate; 

4 (C) certifies an intent to pursue a career 

5 as a commercial pilot; and 

6 (D) meets any other requirements for eligi7 bility as determined appropriate by the Sec8 retary. 

Æ 


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