Sponsors (3)
The bill tightens immigration, language, and recertification requirements for CDL holders to improve perceived security, safety, and record accuracy, but it risks substantial job losses for immigrant drivers, administrative strain on states, punitive lifetime bans, and the loss of federal infrastructure funding for noncompliant states.
State governments and taxpayers: States that comply with the bill will retain federal highway, transit, and safety funding, preserving ongoing federal support and avoiding delays to infrastructure and safety projects.
Transportation employers, the public, and drivers: Requiring CDL holders to be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or certain qualifying nonimmigrants may reduce perceived security risks for interstate commercial driving.
Transportation workers and the public: Standardizing CDL exams to English and requiring English proficiency can improve safety by ensuring drivers understand road signs, regulations, and safety communications.
State governments, taxpayers, and local communities: States that do not comply risk losing all federal 'covered funding' (highways, transit, safety), which could delay projects, reduce services, and increase costs for residents.
Noncitizen long-term residents and immigrant drivers: Many risk losing their trucking jobs if they cannot meet new citizenship/LPR/visa requirements or fail to recertify within 180 days, causing economic hardship for workers and dependent households.
Immigrant drivers and non-English speakers: Requiring all CDL-related exams be administered only in English and enforcing an English-proficiency standard may exclude qualified non‑English speakers from continuing in trucking despite years of experience or safety training.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 4, 2026 by Erin Houchin · Last progress March 4, 2026
Prohibits issuance and use of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) by people who are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or holders of certain nonimmigrant visas; requires States to recertify covered CDLs within 180 days and revoke those held by ineligible individuals; creates a lifetime federal disqualification for operating a commercial motor vehicle without the required immigration/status eligibility (with narrow exceptions); and allows the Secretary to withhold all covered Federal funding from States that fail to recertify/revoke, issue licenses to ineligible individuals, permit non‑English testing, or license drivers not proficient in English.