{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-cotton-push-for-english-only-cdl-tests/", "Tuberville, Cotton Push for English-Only CDL Tests", "2025-10-17", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AL", "Tommy Tuberville", "T000278", "www.tuberville.senate.gov", "tuberville", "https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) in introducing the Secure Commercial Licensing Act. This legislation will require all commercial driver\u2019s license (CDL) testing to be conducted in English only and allows the Transportation Secretary to suspend or revoke a state\u2019s authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs if they aren\u2019t compliant with federal standards.\n\n\u201cIf you drive a truck in the United States, you should be able to speak English fluently,\u201d said Sen, Tuberville. \u201cThis protects our law enforcement officers and the general public. This is not only about safety and efficiency \u2013 it\u2019s just commonsense. Whether taking their kids to school, driving to work, or going to the grocery store, Americans shouldn\u2019t feel in danger every time they get on the road.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor everyone\u2019s safety, you must be able to read and understand English road signs when operating a commercial vehicle. Our bill would require commercial drivers to pass the test given in English,\u201d said Sen. Cotton.\n\n\u201cGoing forward, there are additional issues that need to be addressed to prevent bad actors from operating in trucking,\u201d Mark Colson, CEO of Alabama Trucking Association said. \u201cOne major issue involves B-1 Visa drivers overstaying their cross-border allowances and hauling domestic freight, which is already an illegal activity known as cabotage. Another pressing concern is the need to address fraudulent or non-compliant CDL training providers who are non-compliant with existing training standards. These providers must be removed from the training provider registry. Additionally, stricter measures are required to combat the fraudulent use of USDOT numbers and the manipulation of motor carrier (MC) numbers. These tactics enable chameleon carriers, cargo thieves and broker fraudsters to thrive by acquiring legitimate MC numbers to carry out their schemes. Also, we must ensure the integrity of all commercial driver\u2019s licenses issued by states, crack down on electronic log device fraud, and make sure law enforcement have the tools necessary to enforce these actions. The Alabama Trucking Association, in a combined effort with other pertinent entities, will remain a staunch supporter of making America and Alabama\u2019s roadways safer. In Alabama, we have been working diligently on all these issues with our federal delegation, the Governor\u2019s office, and law enforcement, and we will continue to advocate for the highest standards for safety and security in transportation that will create a level playing field for Alabama\u2019s hard-working professional drivers.\u201d\n\nRep. Andy Barr (R-KY-06) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nRead full text of the bill here.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nSpecifically, the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act would:\n\nRequire all testing related to the issuance or renewal of a commercial driver\u2019s license (CDL), including non-domiciled CDLs, to be conducted only in English.\n\nEmpower the Secretary of Transportation to suspend or revoke a state\u2019s authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs if found non-compliant with federal standards.\n\nRequire individuals to hold a standard driver\u2019s license for one year before obtaining a CDL.\n\nSenator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans\u2019 Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "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://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-cotton-push-for-english-only-cdl-tests/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.196539891883731, "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"}