On March 18, 2026, after a full committee markup, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted to approve H.R. 5688, the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act — also known as “Dalilah’s Law.”
The legislation represents a key step in strengthening the integrity of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) system and validates all of the critical work that the Commercial Vehicle Training Association’s (CVTA) national membership has advocated for. Led by Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC), Dalilah’s Law now proceeds to a full House vote (date forthcoming), underscoring Congress’s ongoing commitment to qualification standards, enforcement consistency, and roadway safety.
The committee approved the legislation by a vote of 35 to 26.
The committee’s review of the bill highlighted a key issue in federal transportation policy: whether current CDL standards are adequate or if enforcement gaps have allowed unqualified drivers onto the roads. Congressional members broadly agreed that roadway safety, particularly drivers’ ability to read signage and interact with law enforcement, remains a significant concern, with disagreement based on the revocation of non-domiciled CDL holders.
The bill introduces measures to enhance accountability and standardize the CDL system:
- Requires all CDL knowledge and skills tests to be administered in English and ensures English language proficiency (ELP) standards apply to all CDL holders — not just a subset.
- Mandates that drivers who fail to meet proficiency standards be placed out of service and requires motor carriers to be promptly notified when a driver’s CDL has been revoked, suspended or is otherwise invalid.
- Requires states to verify work authorization before issuing CDLs, with noncompliant states risking the withholding of federal highway funds.
- Cracks down on CDL mills and substandard training operations that undermine the quality and credibility of professional driver training.
- Directly addresses a long-standing gap in the Training Provider Registry. Under Section 8, the Secretary of Transportation must overhaul the self-certification process within 18 months, requiring all registered providers to demonstrate compliance not only at initial registration but continuously throughout their certification period. Providers that fail to recertify face removal.
Much of what Dalilah’s Law codifies is already in effect through executive action and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rulemaking. The legislation’s primary contribution is permanence, as statutes cannot be easily reversed by subsequent administrations.
For CVTA members, this distinction is important.
Consistent enforcement of training and licensing standards depends on a stable legal foundation that endures changes in administration and agency leadership.
CVTA has expressed support for the legislation as part of a broader effort to ensure that CDL standards are meaningfully enforced and consistently applied. (Click here to read CVTA’s statement on Dalilah’s Law).
For CVTA members, advancing Dalilah’s Law reflects a broader shift toward enforcement-driven policy. While federal standards for training, testing and licensure already exist, the main challenge is ensuring consistent verification and enforcement across jurisdictions.
Aligning CDL issuance with entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements and maintaining the integrity of the FMCSA’s training provider registry (TPR) remain essential to this effort.
CVTA will continue working with policymakers to ensure implementation remains focused on safety, accountability, and the long-term professionalization of the industry.
Andrew Poliakoff is the executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), the largest association of professional truck driver training programs.
He has played a central role in advancing the organization’s priorities, including greater enforcement of FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry, expansion of 529 savings for training and improvement of the WIOA program.
Poliakoff works closely with federal and state officials, industry partners, and CVTA member schools to ensure that training programs meet rigorous standards and reflect the evolving needs of the transportation sector. Under his leadership, CVTA has become a trusted voice on Capitol Hill and a driving force behind regulatory improvements that promote safety, accountability and access to opportunity in the trucking industry.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Poliakoff joined CVTA in 2019 as the director of government affairs, after attending Catholic University Law School.
