Protecting America’s Roads Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5670
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-10T19:31:54Z
AI-Generated Summary
Protecting America's Roads Act H.R. 5670
Purpose
This bill amends federal law on commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to strengthen eligibility rules, verification processes, and enforcement against unauthorized operators of commercial motor vehicles.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent resident status, or valid work authorization, plus proof of domicile in the issuing state. States may not issue CDLs to individuals not domiciled in that state.
- Verification for Non-Citizens: States must use the SAVE system to confirm lawful presence for non-citizen applicants, retain related documents for at least two years, and deny applications if confirmation fails.
- Expiration and Renewal Rules: CDLs or commercial learner's permits for non-citizens expire on the earlier of the applicant's I-94 date or one year after issuance. Upgrades, downgrades, renewals, or transfers for non-citizens must occur in person. States must downgrade or revoke licenses if eligibility lapses.
- Penalties: The Secretary of Transportation must issue regulations establishing penalties for states that fail to comply with revocation requirements.
- Foreign Reciprocity: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must terminate existing reciprocity agreements recognizing foreign CDLs within six months, unless authorized by statute.
- Agency Cooperation: Agencies operating under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act may identify and report foreign nationals unlawfully operating commercial motor vehicles.
- Effective Date: The Act takes effect six months after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill adds new documentation, domicile, and verification mandates to section 31308 of title 49, United States Code. It introduces time-limited licenses for non-citizens, mandatory in-person processes, and automatic revocation triggers. It also directs termination of foreign CDL reciprocity agreements and expands use of immigration enforcement authorities for licensing oversight.
Potential Impacts
- State motor vehicle agencies would face new administrative requirements for document verification, record retention, and license management.
- Non-citizen commercial drivers could encounter shorter license validity periods and stricter renewal processes.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would handle reciprocity termination and state compliance penalties.
- Immigration enforcement agencies operating under 287(g) agreements would gain authority to address unauthorized commercial vehicle operation.
- The trucking sector may experience changes in driver availability and licensing procedures.
Main Stakeholders
- State departments of motor vehicles and transportation agencies.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Non-citizen applicants and holders of CDLs or learner's permits.
- Commercial trucking companies and drivers.
- Immigration enforcement agencies under 287(g) agreements.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation ties CDL issuance to immigration status verification and imposes federal oversight on state licensing practices. It expands interagency coordination between transportation and immigration authorities. The bill does not address potential due process considerations for license revocations or interstate commerce effects.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- 2025-09-30: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-30: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-30: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-30: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Protecting America’s Roads Act — issued 2025-09-30 — PDF (4 pages)