[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6380 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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.

    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 ``Wings for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FLIGHT TRAINING.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
a pilot program (in this Act referred to as the ``Program'') to award 
grants to not more than 10 covered flight schools to provide flight 
training to eligible veterans.
    (b) Grant Amount.--Each grant awarded under this section may not 
exceed $500,000.
    (c) Eligible Uses.--A covered flight school may only use a grant 
awarded under the Program for the following:
            (1) The provision of guidance and pilot training services, 
        including tuition and flight training fees for veterans 
        enrolled in such flight school and any training required for 
        eligible veterans to earn the following certificates and 
        ratings issued under part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations:
                    (A) A private pilot certificate.
                    (B) A commercial pilot certificate.
                    (C) A certified flight instructor certificate.
                    (D) A certified flight instructor instrument 
                certificate.
                    (E) An instrument rating.
                    (F) A multiengine rating.
            (2) The provision of books, training materials, and 
        equipment to support pilot training activities and related 
        education for veterans enrolled in such flight school.
            (3) Administrative costs related to providing the services 
        described in this subsection, not to exceed 10 percent of the 
        amount awarded.
    (d) Applications To Receive Flight Training.--A covered flight 
school receiving a grant under the Program shall be responsible for--
            (1) soliciting applications for flight training from 
        eligible veterans;
            (2) reviewing such applications to verify that applicants 
        meet the definition of eligible veteran; and
            (3) selecting from such applications eligible veterans to 
        receive flight training and enrolling such veterans in 
        appropriate flight training programs.
    (e) Termination.--The Program shall terminate 18 months after the 
date on which the Program is established under subsection (a).
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Reports to secretary.--Each covered flight school that 
        receives a grant under the Program shall periodically submit to 
        the Secretary a report describing the use of grant funds and 
        include in such report documentation of training completed by 
        veterans enrolled in such flight school under the Program.
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        Program terminates under subsection (e), the Secretary of 
        Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs, shall submit to the Committees on Education and Labor, 
        Transportation and Infrastructure, and Veterans' Affairs of the 
        House of Representatives, a report that includes a description 
        of the following:
                    (A) How the improvement of the consistency and 
                eligibility for assistance under chapter 33 of title 
                38, United States Code, may used to provide flight 
                training to veterans.
                    (B) The costs associated with obtaining a 
                commercial pilot certificate and ways in which such 
                costs could be reduced for veterans seeking a 
                commercial pilot certificate.
                    (C) Ways to increase cooperation between the 
                Department of Transportation and veterans service 
                organizations to recruit, screen, and train veterans as 
                commercial pilots.
                    (D) Ways to improve the availability of Federal 
                student loans to veterans to use for attending 
                vocational flight school.
                    (E) A model program under which States and domestic 
                commercial airlines provide assistance to veterans to 
                obtain the flight training necessary to obtain a 
                commercial pilot certificate with a multiengine rating.
                    (F) Rates of successful completion of certification 
                by veterans enrolled in a covered flight school under 
                the Program.
                    (G) Challenges faced by such veterans while 
                receiving flight training.
    (g) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Covered flight school.--The term ``covered flight 
        school'' means a flight school that holds a pilot school 
        certificate under part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            (2) Eligible veteran.--The term ``eligible veteran'' means 
        an individual who--
                    (A) served in the active military, naval, air, or 
                space service, and who was discharged or released from 
                such service with an honorable discharge;
                    (B) meets regulatory requirements set forth by the 
                Secretary to obtain at least a second class medical 
                certificate;
                    (C) certifies an intent to pursue a career as a 
                commercial pilot; and
                    (D) meets any other requirements for eligibility as 
                determined appropriate by the Secretary.
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