Sponsors (9)
The bill aims to improve commercial vehicle safety and regulatory compliance (and preserve federal transport funding) by enforcing English proficiency and stricter recertification, but it risks cutting off immigrant drivers' livelihoods, worsening driver shortages, and imposing steep penalties on states and individuals if they fail to comply.
State governments and taxpayers keep access to federal transportation funding for projects and programs tied to CDL administration if they meet the bill's recertification and testing requirements.
Commercial drivers and transportation workers could operate more safely because requiring English proficiency for testing and communication improves regulatory testing accuracy and on-road communications.
State motor vehicle agencies may see fewer ineligible or improperly qualified commercial drivers, improving regulatory compliance and oversight.
Noncitizen and some immigrant commercial drivers risk losing their CDL and livelihoods if they cannot recertify within the 180-day window or meet English-testing requirements.
States that fail to meet the tight recertification and English-testing rules risk losing all federal 'covered funding,' potentially delaying infrastructure and transit projects that affect many Americans.
Mandating English-only testing and revoking licenses for lack of English proficiency could shrink workforce diversity, worsen driver shortages, and raise shipping and delivery costs for businesses and consumers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 3, 2026 by Garland H. Barr · Last progress March 3, 2026
Prohibits issuance or retention of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and related authorizations to anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident (LPR), or a narrowly defined set of nonimmigrant visa holders, and adds a lifetime disqualification for operating a commercial motor vehicle in the U.S. while not meeting those status requirements (with limited exceptions). Requires states to recertify all current CDL holders within 180 days to verify immigration status, English proficiency, and that required CDL exams were passed in English, and gives the Secretary of Transportation authority to withhold specified federal transportation funds from states that fail to recertify, revoke noncompliant licenses, or that subsequently issue noncompliant CDLs or permit exams in languages other than English.