VERIFY CDL Act
New Bill Requires E-Verify Checks for All Commercial Driver's License Applications
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Representative Biggs of Arizona, would require states to confirm that a person is legally allowed to work in the U.S. before they can get a commercial driver's license (CDL).
- To do this, states would have to use the federal E-Verify system, which is an online tool that checks a person's identity against government records to see if they are authorized to work.
- The requirement would apply to everyone applying for a new commercial license and to current drivers who need to renew their existing license to keep driving trucks or buses.
- The policy aims to prevent people who do not have legal work status from operating large commercial vehicles on American roads.
- This change could add more paperwork or processing time for the millions of truck and bus drivers who keep the country's supply chain moving.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
This bill would directly block undocumented immigrants from obtaining or renewing a commercial driver's license by requiring E-Verify employment authorization checks. Anyone who cannot pass an E-Verify check — meaning they lack legal work authorization — would be unable to drive trucks, buses, or other commercial vehicles, cutting off a source of employment in the trucking and transportation industry.
State Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
4 articles
Exclusive: GOP lawmaker seeks crackdown on illegal trucker licenses to end 'preventable' deaths
Representative Andy Biggs introduced the VERIFY CDL Act to require E-Verify checks for commercial driver's licenses, aiming to close loopholes that allow unauthorized individuals to operate heavy vehicles following several fatal crashes involving unlicensed drivers.
Nearly 20% of Illinois commercial driver's licenses issued illegally: DOT
The Trump administration is cracking down on commercial driver's licenses in Illinois after an audit found nearly 20% were issued to non-citizens whose legal presence had expired, highlighting the safety risks and regulatory gaps the VERIFY CDL Act seeks to address.
Court blocks new Transportation Department rules targeting immigrant commercial drivers
A federal appeals court has paused Department of Transportation rules that would limit which immigrants can obtain commercial driver's licenses. The ruling comes as Congress considers legislation like the VERIFY CDL Act to enshrine such restrictions into federal law.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
VERIFY CDL Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.