WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced his support for the Jobs for Our Heroes Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would exempt qualified active-duty military members and reservists from certain requirements to obtain a state commercial driver's license (CDL) if they have the proper military experience.

"Our nation's military members and reservists develop considerable leadership, knowledge and skills while serving our country, and many of these skills are directly transferable to jobs in the civilian sector," Senator King said. "So it only makes sense that we should work to open doors of opportunity and employment for these brave men and women by eliminating the unnecessary roadblocks they encounter when applying for a commercial driver's license. The Jobs for Our Heroes Act does just that."

The Jobs for Our Heroes Act also aims to make it easier for veterans to receive the Department of Transportation-required health examination to hold a commercial driver's license. Currently, there is an extremely low number of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians certified by the National Registry for Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME), forcing veterans to either travel long distances to see a certified examiner, or pay out of pocket for a non-VA medical professional. This bill would allow all qualified VA medical professionals, including advanced practice nurses and physician assistants, to use the same process to join NRCME as VA physicians.

The bipartisan legislation was introduced in June by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and has also been cosponsored by Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)