WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act—a bipartisan bill Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) helped lead, was signed into law, marking a major victory for veterans in the workforce.

The legislation will eliminate bureaucratic obstacles for U.S veterans aiming to use their GI benefits to pay for commercial driver’s license (CDL) education programs.

“I’m proud to play a role in expanding opportunities for veterans in rural Arizona,” said Rep. Crane. “Expanding the scope of GI education benefits to CDL programs is a way to increase opportunities for those who have put their lives on the line for our country. Bureaucratic obstacles should never inhibit our nation’s veterans from having flexibility in building prosperous lives for themselves.”

Background: Currently, when a trucking school decides to open a new facility at a new location, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and state regulators are required by law to deny the new facility’s ability to receive GI benefits from enrollees who are veterans for two years.

The Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act will exempt these new facilities from this statutory waiting period if the primary training facility has already been approved to receive these benefits by the VA and relevant state agencies.

This will allow veterans more accessibility to CDL schools, reducing commuting times, leading to high-paying careers in the trucking industry.

Under the provisions of this legislation, CDL schools must still comply with state and VA rules regarding curriculum standards to ensure no programs are exploiting veterans or offering fraudulent courses.

This legislation was introduced by a bipartisan coalition in 2023, led by Reps. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), as well as original cosponsors Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA). A companion bill passed the Senate, which was led by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Alex Padilla (D-CA).