Sponsors (9)
The bill enforces stricter, uniform CDL eligibility and English-testing requirements—using federal funding leverage to improve safety and reserve jobs for citizens/LPRs—but risks significant job losses among noncitizen drivers, reduced state transportation funding, and permanent disqualifications that could harm workers and supply chains.
Commercial drivers and the traveling public: States will be required to verify CDL applicants' citizenship/visa status and English ability, which should reduce ineligible or low-English-proficiency drivers and improve highway safety.
State governments: Withholding federal transportation funds from noncompliant states creates a strong financial incentive to adopt and enforce uniform CDL standards nationwide.
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents working in trucking: Limiting CDL eligibility to citizens, LPRs, and specified visa holders can protect jobs for domestic workers by narrowing the pool of eligible drivers.
Noncitizen commercial drivers and their employers: Many currently licensed noncitizen drivers could lose CDLs within 180 days, causing widespread job loss for drivers and potential supply-chain and delivery disruptions for businesses and consumers.
State and local governments and the traveling public: States that fail to complete recertifications or revoke ineligible licenses risk losing federal transportation funding, which could reduce resources for road and transit projects and harm infrastructure investment.
Nonnative English-speaking drivers and employers relying on them: Requiring all testing and exams to be administered in English will disadvantage competent nonnative speakers who previously used language accommodations, shrinking the eligible workforce.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Narrows eligibility to operate covered commercial motor vehicles to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or specified nonimmigrant visa holders and creates lifetime disqualification for ineligible operation.
Official title: Prohibit the issuance of commercial driver's licenses to individuals who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States or holders of certain work visas, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by James E. Banks · Last progress February 25, 2026
Requires that people who operate commercial motor vehicles under the referenced federal provision be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (with limited exceptions for certain nonimmigrant visa holders). It adds detailed definitions, tightens eligibility and disqualification rules for commercial drivers, and creates a lifetime disqualification for operating a commercial motor vehicle while not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or qualifying nonimmigrant visa holder (subject to narrow exemptions).