Pete Aguilar: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment Act, or the ADVANCE Act. The ADVANCE Act will allow Active Duty servicemembers, reservists, and National Guardsmen the same unique testing standards for commercial driver's licenses granted to veterans by the latest surface transportation bill, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, the FAST Act. The FAST Act allows veterans with qualifying experience to be exempt from State knowledge-based tests when obtaining commercial driver's licenses. The ADVANCE Act would extend this exemption to Active Duty servicemembers, reservists, and National Guardsmen. I introduced the ADVANCE Act to ensure that Active Duty servicemembers and reservists have access to the same benefits as veterans, helping to smooth their transition from military to civilian life. We owe it to our brave men and women to help them find work here at home. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense measure that will create opportunities for servicemembers to find work in their communities by simplifying how they translate the driving skills they learned in the military to American jobs across this country. According to the Department of Transportation, the ADVANCE Act can help nearly 75,000 Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guardsmen throughout the United States. This legislation comes at a critical time.…”