[House Report 119-305]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-305
========================================================================
VETERANS' TRANSITION TO TRUCKING ACT OF 2025
----------------
September 19, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
----------------
Mr. Bost, from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2954]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2954) to amend title 38, United States Code, to
authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve multi-
State apprenticeship programs for purposes of veterans
educational assistance, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments
and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Subcommittee Consideration....................................... 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Correspondence.........................................
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 4
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 4
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits............................. 4
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 6
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 6
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 6
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 6
Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs..................... 6
Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking................................ 6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 6
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 7
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Transition to Trucking Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO APPROVE
MULTI-STATE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY COMMERCIAL
TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOLS FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 3672(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
(2) in subparagraph (A), in the matter before clause (i), by
striking ``The State'' and inserting ``Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), the State''; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new
subparagraph (B):
``(B) The Secretary may act in the role of a State approving agency
for purposes of approval of a multi-State apprenticeship program
provided by a commercial truck driving school.''.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve multi-State
apprenticeship programs provided by commercial truck driving
schools for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs
educational assistance programs, and for other purposes.
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 2954, the ``Veterans'' Transition to Trucking Act of
2025'' was introduced by Representative Chris Pappas of New
Hampshire on April 17, 2025. The bill, as amended, would allow
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to act as a State
Approving Agent (SAA) for approval of apprenticeship programs
operating in more than one state. Finally, the bill, as
amended, clarifies that only Commercial Driving License (CDL)
apprenticeships operating across state lines are eligible for
VA approval.
Background and Need for Legislation
Section 1: Short Title
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans'' Transition to
Trucking Act of 2025''.
Section 2: Authorization for Secretary of Veterans Affairs To Approve
Multi-State Apprenticeship Programs Provided by Commercial
Truck Driving Schools for Purposes of Educational Assistance
Programs of Department of Veterans Affairs
This section would allow VA to act as the SAA, but limits
this authority to CDL apprenticeships only, while also meeting
the Department of Labor (DOL) program standards for commercial
trucking drivers. The Committee believes this bill would allow
more veterans pursuing trucking to be enrolled in VA's
apprenticeship programs. The Committee believes that it is
essential that Congress continue to expand nontraditional
avenues for veterans to pursue a career after service.
Hearings
On June 11, 2025, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a legislative hearing
on H.R. 2954 and other bills pending before the subcommittee.
The following witnesses testified:
Dr. Liz Clark, Acting Director, Defense Support
Services, U.S. Department of Defense; Mr. Nick
Pamperin, Executive Director, Veterans Readiness and
Employment, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who
was accompanied by Mr. Thomas Alphonso, Assistant
Director of Policy and Implementation, Education
Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Mr.
Andrew Petrie, Senior Policy Analyst, Veterans
Education and Employment Division, The American Legion;
Mr. Blaze Smith, Director, Veterans Education and
Transition Center, The University of Arizona; Mr.
Matthew Schwartzman, Director, Legislation and Military
Policy, Reserve Organization of America; Ms. Ashlynne
Haycock-Lohmann, Director, Government and Legislative
Affairs, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
(TAPS).
The following individuals and organizations submitted
statements for the record:
Dr. Joseph W. Wescott, National Legislative Liaison,
National Association of State Approving Agencies
(NASAA); Mr. Will Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans
and Military Policy, Veterans Education Success (VES);
Ms. Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director for
Governmental Relations, Paralyzed Veterans of America
(PVA);Mr. Jake Fales; Senior Policy Fellow, Hannah
Miller, Policy and Communications Fellow, Reserve
Organization of America (ROA); Ms. Tammy Barlet, Vice
President of Government Affairs, Student Veterans of
America (SVA); Ms. Kristina Keenan, Director, National
Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States (VFW).
Subcommittee Consideration
On July 3, 2025, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
was discharged from further consideration of this legislation.
Committee Consideration
On July 23, 2025, the full Committee met in an open markup
session to consider H.R. 2954, as amended. During consideration
of the bill, the following amendment was considered:
An amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by
Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, which
would clarify that only CDL apprenticeships are
eligible for VA approval across state lines. This
amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to
by voice vote.
A motion by Ranking Member Takano of California to report
H.R. 2954, as amended, favorably to the House of
Representatives, was agreed to by voice vote.
Committee Votes
In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, there were no recorded votes
taken on amendments or in connection with ordering H.R. 2954,
as amended, reported to the House.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of
this report.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance
goals and objectives are to provide more eligibility
opportunities for VA's CDL apprenticeships by allowing
apprenticeships to be approved by VA to operate across state
lines, which would allow more veterans to use the program.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority,
and Tax Expenditures
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its
own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement
authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits
H.R. 2954, as amended, does not contain any Congressional
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as
defined in clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
Committee Cost Estimate
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate on H.R.
2954 as amended, prepared by the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
for H.R. 2954, as amended, provided by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 2954 would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) to approve the use of VA education benefits for
apprenticeship programs that are offered in multiple states by
commercial truck driving schools.
VA provides education benefits for eligible veterans,
military personnel, and their spouses and children. Those
benefits can be used for approved programs of education,
including multistate apprenticeship programs that meet
standards developed by the Department of Labor. Under current
law, those multistate apprenticeship programs must be approved
by the State Approving Agency in the state in which they are
headquartered.
VA provides those agencies with funding from mandatory
appropriations to subsidize the cost of approving programs;
that funding was capped at $27 million in 2024, and the limit
is adjusted annually for inflation. Those agencies indicate
that VA funding does not cover all the costs of approving
education programs; thus, CBO expects that any savings from
reducing the number of approvals for multistate apprenticeship
programs offered by commercial truck driving schools would be
used to cover other unreimbursed expenses. As a result, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 2954 would not affect direct
spending.
VA would incur additional administrative expenses to the
extent that it approves multistate apprenticeship programs
offered by commercial truck driving schools; however, based on
information published by VA, CBO expects that there would be
few such approvals and that costs would increase by less than
$500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Such spending would be
subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Paul B.A.
Holland. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates regarding H.R. 2954, as amended, prepared by the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R.
2954, as amended.
Statement of Constitutional Authority
Pursuant to Article I, section 8 of the United States
Constitution, H.R. 2954, as amended, is authorized by Congress'
power to ``provide for the common Defense and general Welfare
of the United States.''
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that H.R. 2954, as amended, does not
relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to
public services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 2954, as amended, establishes or reauthorizes a program
of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another
Federal program, a program that was included in any report from
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.
Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking
Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 115th Cong. (2017),
the Committee estimates that H.R. 2954, as amended, contains no
directed rulemaking that would require the Secretary to
prescribe regulations.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1: Short title
This section would establish the short title of the bill as
the ``Veterans'' Transition to Trucking Act of 2025.''
Section 2: Authorization for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve
multi-state apprenticeship programs provided by commercial
truck driving schools for purposes of educational assistance
programs of Department of Veterans Affairs
This section would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec. 3672(c)(1) to allow
VA to act as an SAA for CDL apprenticeship programs in more
than one state to receive VA approval.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
PART III--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED
BENEFITS
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 36--ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS
* * * * * * *
SUBCHAPTER II--STATE APPROVING AGENCIES
* * * * * * *
Sec. 3672. Approval of courses
(a) An eligible person or veteran shall receive the benefits
of this chapter and chapters 34 and 35 of this title while
enrolled in a course of education offered by an educational
institution only if (1) such course is approved as provided in
this chapter and chapters 34 and 35 of this title by the State
approving agency for the State where such educational
institution is located, or by the Secretary, or (2) such course
is approved (A) for the enrollment of the particular individual
under the provisions of section 3536 of this title or (B) for
special restorative training under subchapter V of chapter 35
of this title. Approval of courses by State approving agencies
shall be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and
chapters 34 and 35 of this title and such other regulations and
policies as the State approving agency may adopt. Each State
approving agency shall furnish the Secretary with a current
list of educational institutions specifying courses which it
has approved, and, in addition to such list, it shall furnish
such other information to the Secretary as it and the Secretary
may determine to be necessary to carry out the purposes of this
chapter and chapters 34 and 35 of this title. Each State
approving agency shall notify the Secretary of the disapproval
of any course previously approved and shall set forth the
reasons for such disapproval.
(b)(1) The Secretary shall be responsible for the approval of
courses of education offered by any agency of the Federal
Government authorized under other laws to supervise such
education. The Secretary may approve any course in any other
educational institution in accordance with the provisions of
this chapter and chapters 34 and 35 of this title.
(2)(A) Subject to sections 3675(b)(1) and (b)(2), 3680A,
3684, and 3696 of this title, a program of education is deemed
to be approved for purposes of this chapter if a State
approving agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of a
State approving agency, determines that the program is one of
the following programs:
(i) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) or (D), an
accredited standard college degree program offered at a
public or not-for-profit proprietary educational
institution that--
(I) is accredited by an agency or association
recognized for that purpose by the Secretary of
Education; and
(II) is approved and participates in a
program under title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.), unless
the Secretary has waived the requirement to
participate in a program under title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et
seq.).
(ii) A flight training course approved by the Federal
Aviation Administration that is offered by a certified
pilot school that possesses a valid Federal Aviation
Administration pilot school certificate.
(iii) An apprenticeship program registered with the
Office of Apprenticeship (OA) of the Employment
Training Administration of the Department of Labor or a
State apprenticeship agency recognized by the Office of
Apprenticeship pursuant to the Act of August 16, 1937
(popularly known as the ``National Apprenticeship
Act''; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
(iv) A program leading to a secondary school diploma
offered by a secondary school approved in the State in
which it is operating.
(B) A licensure test offered by a Federal, State, or local
government is deemed to be approved for purposes of this
chapter.
(C) A course that is described in both subparagraph (A)(i) of
this paragraph and in paragraph (15) or (16) of section 3676(c)
of this title shall not be deemed to be approved for purposes
of this chapter unless--
(i) a State approving agency, or the Secretary when
acting in the role of a State approving agency,
determines that the course meets the applicable
criteria in such paragraphs; or
(ii) the Secretary issues a waiver for such course
under section 3676(f)(1) of this title.
(D) A program that is described in subparagraph (A)(i) of
this paragraph and offered by an educational institution that
is at risk of losing accreditation shall not be deemed to be
approved for purposes of this chapter. For purposes of this
subparagraph, an educational institution is at risk of losing
accreditation if that educational institution has received from
the relevant accrediting agency or association a notice
described in section 3673(e)(2)(D) of this title.
(c)(1)(A) [The State] Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
the State approving agency for a multi-State apprenticeship
program is--
(i) for purposes of approval of the program, the
State approving agency for the State in which the
headquarters of the apprenticeship program is located;
and
(ii) for all other purposes, the State approving
agency for the State in which the apprenticeship
program takes place.
(B) The Secretary may act in the role of a State approving
agency for purposes of approval of a multi-State apprenticeship
program provided by a commercial truck driving school.
[(B)] (C) In this paragraph, the term ``multi-State
apprenticeship program'' means a non-Federal apprenticeship
program operating in more than one State that meets the minimum
national program standards, as developed by the Department of
Labor.
(2) The period of a program of apprenticeship may be
determined based upon a specific period of time (commonly
referred to as a ``time-based program''), based upon the
demonstration of successful mastery of skills (commonly
referred to as a ``competency-based program''), or based upon a
combination thereof.
(3)(A) In the case of a competency-based program of
apprenticeship, State approving agencies shall determine the
period for which payment may be made for such a program under
chapters 30 and 35 of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10.
In determining the period of such a program, State approving
agencies shall take into consideration the approximate term of
the program recommended in registered apprenticeship program
standards recognized by the Secretary of Labor.
(B) The sponsor of a competency-based program of
apprenticeship shall provide notice to the State approving
agency involved of any such standards that may apply to the
program and the proposed approximate period of training under
the program.
(4) The sponsor of a competency-based program of
apprenticeship shall notify the Secretary upon the successful
completion of a program of apprenticeship by an individual
under chapter 30 or 35 of this title, or chapter 1606 of title
10, as the case may be.
(d)(1) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary in
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary and
State approving agencies shall actively promote the development
of apprenticeship and on the job training programs for the
purposes of sections 3677 and 3687 of this title and shall
utilize the services of disabled veterans' outreach program
specialists under section 4103A of this title to promote the
development of such programs. The Secretary of Labor shall
provide assistance and services to the Secretary, and to State
approving agencies, to increase the use of apprenticeships.
(2) In conjunction with outreach services provided by the
Secretary under chapter 77 of this title for education and
training benefits, each State approving agency shall conduct
outreach programs and provide outreach services to eligible
persons and veterans about education and training benefits
available under applicable Federal and State law.
(e) A program of education exclusively by correspondence, and
the correspondence portion of a combination correspondence-
residence course leading to a vocational objective, that is
offered by an educational institution (as defined in section
3452(c) of this title) may be approved only if (1) the
educational institution is accredited by an entity recognized
by the Secretary of Education, and (2) at least 50 percent of
those pursuing such a program or course require six months or
more to complete the program or course.
* * * * * * *
[all]