S.Amdt. 1706

SA 1706. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 1633 proposed by Mr. Reid to the bill S. 1813, to
reauthorize Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction
programs, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:

At the end of page 477, add the following:

SEC. 32114. PROGRAM TO IMPROVE AVAILABILITY OF COMMERCIAL
DRIVER'S LICENSES TO MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES.

(a) State Acceptance of Testing of Members of Armed Forces
by Secretary of Defense for Purposes of Issuance of
Commercial Driver's Licenses.--Section 3131, as amended by
section 32205 and 32303 of this Act, is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(25) The State shall accept as proof of compliance by an
applicant for a commercial driver's license with any
knowledge or skills test required under paragraph (1) or (2)
or under any provision of law of the State, evidence that the
applicant--
``(A) is a member of the Armed Forces; and
``(B) has passed a knowledge or skills test administered by
the Secretary of Defense and approved by the Secretary of
Transportation for purposes of this paragraph.''.
(b) Exemption From Single License Requirement.--Section
31302 is amended--
(1) by striking ``No individual'' and inserting the
following:
``(a) In General.--No individual'';
(2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), by
striking ``An individual'' and inserting the following:
``(b) Cumulative Number of Licenses.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), an
individual''; and
(3) in subsection (b), as designated by paragraph (2), by
adding at the end the following:
``(2) Members of armed forces.--An individual who is a
member of the Armed Forces operating a commercial motor
vehicle may have a driver's license issued by the Secretary
of Defense in addition to a commercial driver's license
issued by a State.''.
(c) Exemption From Alcohol and Controlled Substances
Testing.--Section 31306(b)(1) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(C) The regulations required by subparagraph (A) shall
exempt members of the Armed Forces from any requirements
relating to testing for alcohol or controlled substances.''.
(d) Modification of Residency Requirement.--Paragraph (12)
of section 31311(a) is amended--
(1) by striking ``except that, under regulations'' and
inserting the following: ``except that--
``(A) under regulations''; and
(2) in subparagraph (A), as designated by paragraph (1), by
striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) the State may issue a commercial driver's license to
an individual who--
``(i) operates or will operate a commercial motor vehicle;
``(ii) is a member of the Armed Forces; and
``(iii) is not domiciled in the State, but who's permanent
duty station is located in the State.''.
(e) Federal and State Working Group.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 3 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and in cooperation
with the States, establish a working group to assist members
of the Armed Forces to obtain commercial driver's licenses.
(2) Duties.--The working group established under paragraph
(1) shall, at a minimum--
(A) discuss implementation of this section and the
amendments made by this section; and
(B) submit to the Secretary such recommendations for
legislative or regulatory action as the working group
considers advisable to improve the availability of commercial
driver's licenses to members of the Armed Forces.
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