Senators Reintroduce Bill to Create Easier Road for U.S. Veterans in Trucking

United States military veterans learn invaluable skills during their service that makes them reliable, hardworking, and disciplined employees. When transitioning into civilian life, many find their career home in the transportation industry. Last week, legislation was reintroduced by U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) and Alex Padilla (D-California) that would ensure veterans can use their GI benefits at new branches of CDL schools.

As some CDL schools across the nation branch out from their primary location and establish secondary ones, veterans are faced with legislation that prevents them from utilizing their GI benefits. Current laws mandate that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs deny the secondary branch’s ability to accept any GI benefits for a total of two years, creating obstacles for both veterans and the U.S. economy.

“Frustrating red tape is inhibiting some veterans from pursuing a career in trucking, which is vital to our modern economy,” Fischer said. “I’m proud to reintroduce legislation with Sen. Padilla that will reverse unnecessary regulations and allow more veterans to take advantage of their well-earned GI benefits.”

Eligible veterans have access to around 8,400 commercial driving programs that are approved under the GI bill, according to a recent press release detailing the legislation.

Fischer and Padilla are introducing legislation that will permit any CDL schools that have secondary locations to automatically fall under the approval from the VA and other State Approving Agencies held by the primary location, regarding veterans utilizing their GI benefits. This would navigate around the current two-year wait period secondary locations have to abide by. In turn, the two senators said, this gives veterans higher accessibility to CDL schools and will also lead to high paying truck driving careers.

On March 8 the bill was introduced to Congress and was sent to the Senate Committee of Veterans’ Affairs. It will need to receive approval here before being argued on the full Senate floor.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal