{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2243", "Balderson Joins Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers to Introduce Commercial Driver's License Reforms", "2022-02-02", "2022", "2022-02", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Troy Balderson", "B001306", "balderson.house.gov", "balderson", "https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=10", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill today to address the nation\u2019s ongoing supply chain shortages by eliminating regulatory barriers preventing eligible drivers from entry into the trucking workforce.\n\n\u201cThis legislation eliminates regulatory barriers to filling in-demand truck driver jobs,\u201d said Congressman Balderson. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support making these common sense waivers permanent. Doing so provides much-needed relief for our truckers and will help to ensure products arrive on-time to doorsteps and store shelves across the country.\u201d\n\nThe Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently (LICENSE) Act, streamlines burdensome licensing regulations by making permanent several waivers that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic last November.\n\nRep. Balderson is joined by Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Josh Harder (D-CA) as the legislation\u2019s lead sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate companion bill was introduced by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona).\n\nThe bill would allow state and third-party examiners previously authorized to administer the commercial driver\u2019s license (CDL) skills test to also administer the CDL knowledge test without having to complete the training course. This will help get additional drivers on the road faster without compromising safety.\n\nThe bill would allow states to administer driving skills tests to applicants from other states. This will streamline the credentialing process and allow future truckers to get tested where they live rather than only where they received their training.\n\n\u201cOne of the first steps towards fixing our current supply chain crises is to increase the number of truck drivers delivering goods to stores around the country,\u201d said Senator Lummis. \u201cAs a rural state, Wyoming is particularly reliant on trucking, but streamlining commercial driver\u2019s licensing and getting rid of overly burdensome regulations will benefit everyone, whether you live in Manhattan or Cheyenne. I\u2019m proud to work with my fellow western senator, Mark Kelly, to reform the licensing process for America\u2019s truckers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe pandemic continues to impact our supply chains and Arizonans are feeling the strain of higher prices at the supermarket and the gas pump. Our bipartisan bill cuts red tape and boosts our trucking workforce so we can safely and quickly deliver essential supplies and goods across the country. I will continue to ensure the federal government uses every available tool to strengthen our economy and bring down costs for Arizonans,\u201d said Senator Kelly.\n\n\u201cSome of the biggest issues I hear about in central and west-central Illinois are worker and trucking shortages,\u201d said Congressman LaHood. \u201cAs we face unprecedented supply chain challenges, this legislation will help streamline the process to obtain a commercial driver\u2019s license and reduce unnecessary red tape. The downstream economic effects of the driver shortage are immeasurable and American families continue to face further disruption in the delivery of groceries, medical supplies, and business inventories across the nation. I am proud to join this bipartisan and bicameral group to introduce this commonsense legislation that will give companies the ability to hire qualified, safe drivers and strengthen the economy in Illinois.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe LICENSE Act is a critical piece of legislation that will help alleviate stressors on the supply chain and remove burdensome regulatory barriers to obtaining commercial driver\u2019s licenses,\u201d said Congressman Cuellar. \u201cAs we look to recover from the pandemic, we must adapt and innovate to the needs of our growing economy. These waivers make our roads safer while removing unnecessary red tape. As the representative for the largest land port of entry, I will continue to prioritize the needs of our truckers who are essential to the success of our national economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m laser focused on making it affordable to raise a family in the Valley. Right now the cost of everything from groceries to gas is just plain out of control and we have to fix it,\u201d said Congressman Harder. \u201cThis bill cuts through the red tape and gets more truck drivers on the road. More drivers means lower shipping costs, and lower shipping costs means families can actually afford what they need at the grocery store. I\u2019m proud to join my Republican and Democratic friends in introducing this bill.\u201d\n\nThe American Trucking Associations endorsed the bill, noting, \u201cIn the context of the current supply chain disruptions, the LICENSE Act is a sensible remedy to the unnecessary regulatory barriers that make the CDL training and testing process so arduous.\u201d\n\nTo read the American Trucking Associations\u2019 letter of support for the bill, click here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2243"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5789279714226723, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}