S. 1614 – AVIATE Act of 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM UTC

The AVIATE Act of 2025 changes the veterans’ rehabilitation rules so the VA can approve flight‑training courses that don’t lead to a college degree as part of a veteran’s vocational rehab. It applies to veterans with service‑connected disabilities and takes effect for programs approved after August 1, 2025.

Key Provisions

Allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include non‑degree flight training programs in a veteran’s vocational rehabilitation plan, even though such training isn’t part of a college degree.
Specifies that this authority applies to rehabilitation programs approved on or after August 1, 2025.
Adjusts the existing statutory language to say the program must be approved “to the maximum extent practicable,” except as provided in the new paragraph allowing flight training.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 6, 2025

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 6, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 6, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 6, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1614

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 6, 2025

Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Budd, and Mr. Sheehy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve a rehabilitation program for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities that include the pursuit of non-degree flight training programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Authorizing Vocational and Instructional Aviation Training for Eligible Veterans Act of 2025 or the AVIATE Act of 2025.

2.

Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affair to approve non-degree flight training courses as part of vocational rehabilitation programs for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities

(a)

In general

Section 3104(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by inserting (1) before A rehabilitation program;

(2)

by striking To the maximum extent practicable and inserting Except as provided under paragraph (2), to the maximum extent practicable; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(2)

Notwithstanding section 3680A(b) of this title, the Secretary may approve a rehabilitation program for a veteran under this chapter that includes the pursuit of a course of flight training other than one given by an educational institution of higher learning for credit toward a standard college degree the veteran is seeking.

.

(b)

Applicability

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to a rehabilitation program approved on or after August 1, 2025.