Edwards’ bill to improve veteran access to commercial driver training heads to president’s desk

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed Senate bill S. 656, the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License (VA CDL) Act, by a unanimous voice vote. Edwards introduced the House companion bill, H.R. 2830, which previously passed the House as part of H.R. 5914, the Veterans Education Transparency and Training (VETT) Act, in April 2023.

The VA CDL Act is the first bill that Edwards co-led to be sent to the president's desk to be signed into law.

Edwards spoke on the House floor to highlight how the VA CDL Act will eliminate red tape that excludes veterans from accessing commercial driver-education programs using their GI Bill benefits.

The full remarks as prepared for delivery are below, or you may watch online here.

"Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you to Senators Fischer and Padilla for their leadership on the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act. I was happy to introduce the House version of this very important bill, H.R. 2830, and I look forward to the benefit this language will add to veterans’ quality of life once it becomes law.

“Every day, brave men and women join our military to fight for the American dream so that each of us can live in a country where we have the opportunity to succeed and are free to pursue a better life.

“But all too often, when our service members are transitioning to civilian life, our government fails them in pursuit of their own American dream.

“A 2016 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that 53 percent of all veterans were unemployed for at least four months after leaving the military. These are our country’s strongest citizens, yet we repeatedly fail to sufficiently support them as they make the biggest transition in their life – from service member to civilian.

“S. 656 and H.R. 2830 make a much-needed change to veteran educational assistance programs, expanding job opportunities for the brave men and women who serve our great nation.

“The VA CDL Act will increase veteran access to timely, quality commercial driver license training, reduce veteran unemployment or underemployment, and reduce the strain on our nation’s supply chain by increasing the truck driver workforce pool.

“Currently, roughly 8,400 commercial driving programs are approved for use by eligible veterans under the GI bill, but a bureaucratic ‘two-year rule’ prevents these training facilities from accepting GI benefits at secondary locations for two years.

“This burdensome red tape has excluded many veterans from attending closer ‘secondary branch’ training facilities and dissuaded service members from joining the trucking industry. Because of the rule, veterans must decide between finding a new career path, waiting two years to pursue their commercial driver’s license, or traveling hundreds of miles away from their home for immediate training.

“S.656 and H.R. 2830 fix that issue by exempting new branches of pre-approved training facilities located in the same state from the statutory two-year wait to accept veterans’ benefits.

“It’s high time we take meaningful steps towards better supporting a veteran’s transition into the civilian workforce.

“Too many arbitrary rules are impeding a veteran’s ability to achieve the very American dream that they are fighting for others to pursue, but the VA CDL Act helps to eliminate one of those barriers.

“Ultimately, this is a commonsense reform that will reduce unnecessary roadblocks to veteran training and workforce opportunities and I urge my colleagues to support.”

“When the brave men and women in our armed forces return home, the last thing they should have to worry about is red tape preventing them from achieving the American dream that they fought to defend,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “Improving veterans’ access to CDL programs will open the door of opportunity to good-paying, in-demand jobs in the trucking industry. We are appreciative of the leadership by Representatives Edwards and Pappas on this important bill, which will help veterans secure rewarding careers and alleviate the truck driver shortage.”