[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2283. Mrs. FISCHER (for herself and Mr. Padilla) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4638, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR APPROVAL OF COMMERCIAL 
                   DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF 
                   EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (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)(I) the branch is located in a State in which the 
     same commercial driver education program is offered by the 
     same educational institution at another branch of that 
     educational institution in the same State 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; or
       ``(II)(aa) the branch is located in a State in which the 
     same commercial driver education program is not offered at 
     another branch of the same educational institution in the 
     same State; and
       ``(bb) the branch has been operating for a period of at 
     least one year using 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.
       ``(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.
       ``(D) The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a 
     notification not later than 30 days after the Secretary 
     grants an exemption under this paragraph. Such notification 
     shall identify the educational institution and branch of such 
     educational institution granted such exemption.''.
       (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) Rulemaking.--In promulgating any rules to carry out 
     paragraph (2) of section 3680A(e) of title 38, United States 
     Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall consult with State approving agencies.
       (3) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply to commercial driver education programs on and 
     after the day that is 365 days after the date on which the 
     Secretary establishes the requirements under paragraph (1) of 
     this subsection.
       (c) Comptroller General of the United States Study.--Not 
     later than 365 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall--
       (1) conduct a study to--
       (A) ascertain the effects of the amendments made by 
     subsection (a); and
       (B) the feasibility and advisability of similarly amending 
     the rules for approval of programs of education for other 
     vocational programs of education; and
       (2) submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the findings of the Comptroller 
     General with respect to such study.
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