HR 5656 United States House · 119th Congress

To amend title 49, United States Code, to grant the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico eligibility to issue commercial driver's licenses, and for other purposes.

This bill amends federal law to allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to issue commercial driver's licenses (CDLs), which they were previously ineligible to do under Title 49 of the U.S. Code. It directly affects commercial drivers in these territories by granting them eligibility to obtain CDLs, aligning their licensing with mainland U.S. requirements. Key provisions include adding the territories to the definition of eligible jurisdictions, creating a 5-year grace period to avoid federal funding penalties for non-compliance during implementation, and requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to collaborate with the territories on full compliance. The change removes a barrier for commercial drivers in these regions while providing time to meet federal standards.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Sep 30, 2025 Last action Dec 1, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Dec 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
lower
Sep 30, 2025
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
lower
Sep 30, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors