S.Amdt. 2283

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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