H.R. 5656House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

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.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 8:15 PM UTC

This bill amends title 49 of the U.S. Code to let the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico issue commercial driver’s licenses. It updates definitions, penalty rules, and requires the FMCSA to help the territories meet safety standards. The bill also gives the territories a five‑year window during which they won’t lose federal highway funding for not yet complying with those requirements.

Key Provisions

Adds the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to the definition of entities covered by commercial motor vehicle safety regulations in 49 U.S.C. §31301(14).
Specifies that any penalty amounts that would be apportioned to the United States Virgin Islands under existing law are treated as required to be apportioned to the territories for penalty purposes.
Directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to work with the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to achieve full compliance with the commercial motor vehicle safety chapter and related regulations.
Provides a five‑year grace period during which the territories will not lose any federally‑apportioned highway funds for failing to meet certain commercial driver‑license requirements.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

December 1, 2025

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 30, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

September 30, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

December 1, 2025

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued September 30, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5656

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 30, 2025

Ms. Plaskett (for herself, Mr. Hernández, and Mr. Edwards) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

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.

Application of commercial motor vehicle safety

(a)

Definitions

Section 31301(14) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking and and inserting a comma; and

(2)

by inserting , and the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico before the period.

(b)

Penalty

Section 165(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(8)

Penalty

The amounts treated as being apportioned to the United States Virgin Islands under this subsection shall be deemed to be required to be apportioned to the United States Virgin Islands under that section for purposes of the imposition of any penalty under this title or title 49.

(c)

Implementation

The Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shall work with the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on obtaining full compliance with chapter 313 of title 49, United States Code, and regulations adopted under such chapter.

(d)

Grace period

Notwithstanding section 31311(a) of title 49, United States Code, during a 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico shall not be subject to a withholding of an apportionment of funds under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, for failure to comply with any requirement under section 31311(a) of title 49, United States Code.