Rep. Patronis: Blue States Are Giving Licenses to Endanger Millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican Study Committee Member Jimmy Patronis (FL-01) is calling for the swift passage of Dalilah's Law in a new op-ed for Florida's Voice one year after an illegal alien driving an 18-wheeler caused a fatal accident on the Florida Turnpike that claimed the lives of three innocent Americans. The illegal alien obtained a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California without proving adequate understanding of road signage and English language proficiency.

Dalilah’s Law is named after Dalilah Coleman, who was tragically struck by an illegal alien driving an 18-wheel tractor-trailer when she was just five years old, leaving her with life-altering injuries. The legislation would prevent illegal aliens from obtaining CDLs when they lack the English proficiency, road-rule knowledge, and safety skills necessary to operate commercial motor vehicles. Rep. Patronis slams Democrats for not supporting this commonsense safety reform.

In the piece, Rep. Patronis writes, “If you’re going to operate an 80,000-pound truck on American roads, you should be able to read the signs, understand the rules, and speak in English when lives are on the line. That isn’t controversial, it’s common sense. Every day, millions of Americans get behind the wheel and trust the drivers around them to follow the rules of the road. The American people deserve to know that the people operating these massive commercial vehicles meet the same basic safety standards.”

He continues, “For many of us, driving is something we do every day without thinking twice, assuming that everyone sharing the road understands the same basic rules. That trust is something government has a responsibility to protect. These vehicles are powerful and the consequences of failing to meet those standards can be devastating. Yet the radical Left repeatedly tried to weaken Dalilah’s Law. They pushed to allow CDL tests to be given in languages other than English instead of requiring every commercial driver to meet the same basic safety standard.”

Rep. Patronis concludes, “One year later, we remember the three Floridians we lost and stand with their families. We remember what happened, we remember the lives that were taken. House Republicans will keep fighting to secure our border, enforce our laws, make our roads safer, and put American families first. We cannot change what happened one year ago, but we can do everything in our power to prevent another family from experiencing the same heartbreak.”

Read the full op-ed here.

Background: Dalilah’s Law was introduced by Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07) and passed out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It now awaits a full vote by the U.S. House of Representatives. RSC held a member roundtable featuring Dalilah and Marcus Coleman to speak out on the dangerous federal loophole that allows illegal aliens to obtain CDLs. Dalilah’s Law codifies efforts by President Trump and Transportation Secretary Duffy to crack down on this safety crisis that was exacerbated by the open border policies of the Biden-Harris administration.