H.R. 5670 — Protecting America’s Roads Act

This section revises federal minimum standards for state issuance of commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) and CDL learner's permits by requiring applicants to present valid documentation proving U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent resident status, or valid work authorization and documentation of domicile in the issuing state. It further establishes the following additional standards: (1) prohibiting states from issuing a CDL to a non-domiciled individual; (2) requiring states to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system (i.e., DHS database) to verify lawful presence of non-citizen applicants, retain related documents for at least two years, and deny any applicant not confirmed by SAVE; (3) limiting non-citizen CDLs and learner's permits to expire on the earlier of the applicant's Form I-94 expiration date or one year after issuance; (4) requiring non-citizens to complete in person any CDL or learner's permit upgrade, downgrade, renewal, or transfer; and (5) requiring states to downgrade or revoke any non-citizen CDL or learner's permit if eligibility lapses. The section also directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish penalties for state noncompliance with the revocation requirement.

This section requires the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to terminate, not later than six months after enactment, any existing reciprocity agreements recognizing foreign commercial driver’s licenses or permitting their holders to operate commercial motor vehicles in the United States, unless expressly authorized by statute.

This section authorizes state and local law enforcement agencies operating under INA §287(g) (i.e., agreements delegating certain federal immigration enforcement functions to such agencies) to identify and address foreign nationals unlawfully operating commercial motor vehicles in the United States and to report such activity to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).