Congress considers ‘Dalilah’s Law’ to strengthen CDL standards and fight ‘shady’ brokers
This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will consider legislation to strengthen citizenship and language requirements for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) drivers in support of previous efforts made by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
On March 16, Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) released updated text for H.R. 5688 or Dalilah’s Law, ahead of a planned mark up session in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on March 18.
Dalilah’s Law is named for Dalilah Coleman, a child injured in a pileup crash involving truck driver Partap Singh, who was issued a CDL by California. Singh was later arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after officials determined he was present in the U.S. illegally.
Bill To Mandate English For CDL Drivers & Fight Freight Fraud
According to Rouzer, H.R. 5688 would update CDL requirements by:
- Ensuring all CDL holders understand English, road signs, and law enforcement officers
- Placing drivers who fail to meet the Law’s requirements and safety standards out-of-service
- Requiring states to verify that they are not issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants
- Significantly increasing penalties for states failing to comply with the Law, through withholding of Federal funds
- Banning shady foreign dispatch services and brokers, who have fueled a surge in freight fraud and cargo theft
- Cracking down on “CDL mills” to ensure drivers entering the industry are receiving adequate training
“Commercial driver’s license standards are in place for a reason: to ensure that only those qualified to drive a truck are allowed to do so. Dalilah’s story is the heartbreaking consequence of what happens when those standards are both insufficient and breached,” said Rouzer. “Unqualified, illegal foreign drivers behind the wheel of an 80-ton [sic] rig put the public in danger. President Trump called on Congress to end this systematic abuse, and Dalilah’s Law answers the call. I look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and Chairman Graves to get this bill to the President’s desk to prevent tragedies like Dalilah’s from happening again.”
H.R. 5688 would build on recent actions by USDOT and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to increase enforcement of English Language Proficiency rules and impose stricter standards for non-domiciled CDLs.
A previous version of H.R. 5688 was introduced by Rouzer in October 2025 as the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act.
Trucking Groups Push Lawmakers To Enact Dalilah’s Law
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) spoke out in favor of the updated legislation in a letter to Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves.
“This legislation closes loopholes that have allowed unqualified individuals to obtain a CDL through the “non-domiciled” CDL program and ensures full enforcement of English Language Proficiency standards for professional truck drivers, among other improvements,” wrote OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “This legislation reinforces the USDOT and the FMCSA’s Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses Final Rule cracking down on states issuing CDLs to unqualified and poorly vetted applicants. In recent years, there has been an explosion in the number of non-domiciled CDLs as unscrupulous carriers sought out the cheapest labor possible.”
“We appreciate Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rouzer’s leadership on these issues and are thankful that President Trump and Secretary Duffy have highlighted the serious safety shortcomings in existing law that have made our roads less safe. We look forward to continue working with the Committee and ultimately enact Dalilah’s Law,” said Spencer.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) also endorses the bill.
“The motoring public deserves confidence in who is operating heavy commercial vehicles. This legislation reinforces that trust by ensuring drivers are properly trained, tested, and qualified. By holding states accountable for how CDLs are issued, the bill establishes a consistent, lawful framework for employment in this safety critical industry—setting uniform testing standards and improving employer notification systems so agencies and industry can better share information. Together, these reforms increase transparency, support responsible carriers and drivers, and strengthen the safety and reliability of the nation’s freight network,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.