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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.
Summary
This bill would expand vocational rehabilitation benefits for veterans with service-connected disabilities to include non-degree flight training programs. Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs can only approve rehabilitation programs that include courses offered by colleges and universities for credit toward a degree. The bill would allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve rehabilitation programs that include standalone flight training courses not tied to a college degree. The changes would apply to programs approved on or after August 1, 2025.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX)
2 cosponsors
- Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC] (R-NC)
- Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT] (R-MT)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Ted Cruz’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $4,424,745
- ENTREPRENEUR $458,096
- RDV CORPORATION $39,600
- AMERICAN AIRLINES $29,632
- BLACKSTONE $27,400
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Ted Cruz → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- May 6, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
- May 6, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 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”.
SEC. 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. <all>
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