S. 3917

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3917 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3917

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 25, 2026

Mr. Banks (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Lankford, and Mrs. Capito) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

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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