[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7793 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7793
To 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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 4, 2026
Mrs. Houchin (for herself, Mr. Fong, and Mr. Obernolte) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``The Dalilah Law''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON ISSUANCE OF CDLS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT
CITIZENS OR LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED
STATES OR HOLDERS OF CERTAIN WORK VISAS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commercial driver's license.--The term ``commercial
driver's license'' has the meaning given the term in section
31301 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Commercial motor vehicle.--The term ``commercial motor
vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in section 31301 of
title 49, United States Code.
(3) Covered examination.--The term ``covered examination''
means any test or examination relating to the issuance or
renewal of a covered license or authorization, including--
(A) a commercial driver's license knowledge test;
(B) a commercial driver's license skills test; and
(C) any other test or examination required to
acquire, maintain, or upgrade a covered license or
authorization.
(4) Covered funding.--The term ``covered funding'', with
respect to a State, means any funding that is authorized to be
provided by the Secretary to that State, or for a project or
activity carried out in that State, under any provision of
Federal law (including regulations).
(5) Covered license or authorization.--The term ``covered
license or authorization'' means--
(A) a commercial driver's license, including a non-
domiciled commercial driver's license; and
(B) any other license or authorization issued by a
State authorizing an individual to operate a commercial
motor vehicle.
(6) Non-domiciled commercial driver's license.--The term
``non-domiciled commercial driver's license'' means a
commercial driver's license issued by a State or other
jurisdiction to an individual who is not domiciled in that
State or jurisdiction, in accordance with part 383 of title 49,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
(b) Prohibition.--Section 31311(a)(12) of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by striking ``who operates'' and inserting the
following: ``who--
``(i) operates'';
(B) in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking
``vehicle and is'' and inserting the following:
``vehicle;
``(ii) is''; and
(C) in clause (ii) (as so designated), by striking
``State.'' and inserting the following: ``State; and
``(iii) is a citizen or lawful permanent resident
of the United States.'';
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii)(I) is a citizen or lawful permanent
resident of the United States; or
``(II) is a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph
(E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b) of section
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) and is in possession of a valid,
unexpired nonimmigrant visa issued to the individual
pursuant to any such subparagraph.''; and
(3) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv)(I) is a citizen or lawful permanent resident
of the United States; or
``(II) is a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph
(E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b) of section
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) and is in possession of a valid,
unexpired nonimmigrant visa issued to the individual
pursuant to any such subparagraph.''.
(c) Disqualifications.--Section 31310 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (d)(2)--
(A) by striking ``paragraph (9) of''; and
(B) by striking ``7102(9)'' and inserting ``7102'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(l) Disqualification Based on Lack of Citizenship, Lawful
Permanent Residence, or Work Visa Status.--The Secretary shall
disqualify from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life an
individual who operates a commercial motor vehicle in the United States
while that individual is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of
the United States or a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph (E)(ii),
(H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in possession of a valid,
unexpired nonimmigrant visa issued to the individual pursuant to any
such subparagraph, unless such individual--
``(1) is operating a commercial motor vehicle as a
nonimmigrant described in subparagraph (B) of that section and
is in possession of a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant visa issued
to the individual pursuant to that subparagraph; or
``(2) holds a valid travel authorization pursuant to
section 217.5 of title 8, Code of Federal Regulations (or any
successor regulation), and possesses a valid, unexpired
admission record pursuant to section 1302 of title 8, United
States Code.''.
(d) Recertification.--To avoid the withholding of covered funding
under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (e), a State shall--
(1) require all individuals who, as of the date of
enactment of this Act, hold a covered license or authorization
issued by the State to be recertified for that covered license
or authorization not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, which recertification shall include
verification that the individual--
(A) is--
(i) a citizen or lawful permanent resident
of the United States; or
(ii) a nonimmigrant described in
subparagraph (E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b)
of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in
possession of a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant
visa issued to the individual pursuant to any
such subparagraph;
(B) is proficient in the English language, as
described in section 391.11(b)(2) of title 49, Code of
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of
enactment of this Act); and
(C) has passed all covered examinations relating to
the covered license or authorization in English; and
(2) revoke the covered license or authorization of any
individual who--
(A) fails to recertify by the deadline described in
paragraph (1); or
(B) on recertification under that paragraph, is
found--
(i) to be neither--
(I) a citizen or lawful permanent
resident of the United States; or
(II) a nonimmigrant described in
subparagraph (E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or
(H)(ii)(b) of section 101(a)(15) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in possession of a
valid, unexpired nonimmigrant visa
issued to the individual pursuant to
any such subparagraph;
(ii) not to be proficient in the English
language, as described in section 391.11(b)(2)
of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in
effect on the date of enactment of this Act);
or
(iii) not to have passed all covered
examinations relating to the covered license or
authorization in English.
(e) Withholding of Covered Funding.--
(1) Withholding for recertification failure.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with the
first fiscal year beginning after the deadline for
recertifications under subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall
withhold all covered funding from a State that fails to
complete those recertifications by that deadline.
(2) Withholding for revocation failure.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, beginning with the first fiscal
year beginning after the deadline for recertifications under
subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall withhold all covered
funding from a State that fails to complete the revocations
described in subsection (d)(2) by that deadline.
(3) Witholding for status verification failure.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with the
first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall withhold all covered funding from a
State that, after that date of enactment, issues covered
licenses or authorizations to individuals who are neither--
(A) citizens or lawful permanent residents of the
United States; or
(B) nonimmigrants described in subparagraph
(E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b) of section
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in possession of a valid, unexpired
nonimmigrant visa issued to such individuals pursuant
to any such subparagraph.
(4) Witholding for english proficiency verification
failure.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning
with the first fiscal year beginning after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall withhold all covered
funding from a State that, after that date of enactment--
(A) issues covered licenses or authorizations to
individuals who are not proficient in the English
language, as described in section 391.11(b)(2) of title
49, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor
regulation); or
(B) administers any covered examination in any
language other than English.
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