WASHINGTON (7News) — A deadly crash involving a bus in Stafford County on Friday morning highlights ongoing concerns regarding the issuance of Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDL) in the U.S.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the bus driver, 48-year-old Jing Dong, a naturalized U.S. citizen from China, received his CDL from New York State but does not speak English. The crash resulted in five fatalities, including two children, and left 44 others injured when the bus collided with multiple vehicles on I-95.
Duffy stated, “Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can't speak English.” He called for legislation to prevent individuals in the U.S. illegally from obtaining CDLs.
In light of this incident, a proposed bill, known as Delilah's Law, has been discussed, aiming to block illegal immigrants from receiving CDLs. This bill is named after a girl killed in a crash involving an undocumented driver.
Recently, a House Committee on Transportation advanced legislation that would tighten CDL requirements, including mandating English proficiency. This follows a Florida case where Harjjinder Singh received his license despite allegedly entering the U.S. illegally and caused a crash that killed three people.
The Supreme Court recently declined to hear a lawsuit from Florida against Washington State and California regarding their licensing practices, raising questions about adherence to federal standards.