Dalilah’s Law Restores Roadway Integrity
Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04)
Sitting in the Transportation and Infrastructure hearing room this week as Chairman Graves gaveled us in to begin committee activity was young Dalilah Coleman accompanied by her mother and father. Committee hearings and markups are open to the public, so it’s common to look out and see folks sitting in who have just visited a Smithsonian museum or finished a Capitol tour, looking for a front row seat to observe the legislative process while visiting Washington.
However, this young guest was special because we would be passing a bill out of committee named in her honor that morning, sending it to the House Floor for a vote.
Dalilah’s Law was crafted after her car was struck by a semi-truck operated by an illegal alien with no English proficiency who did not meet the commercial driver’s license (CDL) standards. Because of this tragedy, Dalilah suffered life-altering injuries.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) reported that, in 2025, at least seventeen fatal crashes and thirty deaths were linked to unqualified foreign drivers illegally operating commercial motor vehicles. Dalilah’s Law works to prevent future tragedies from occurring on our roads by ensuring stronger safety standards for CDLs and ensuring training providers are following the rules.
It was also disheartening to learn that the DOT reported that nearly 3,000 truck driver training schools were removed from the federal registry after investigators found falsified training records. It shouldn’t be controversial to ask that individuals operating an 80,000-pound semi-truck be able to understand and follow our nation’s road signs or be able to effectively communicate with law enforcement.
Weak policies and loopholes have unfortunately allowed unsafe drivers on our roads. But this week, House Republicans advanced legislation to the House Floor that closes these loopholes and brings us one step closer to restoring Americans’ trust and safety. It’s a privilege to work on legislation that not only honors individuals like young Dalilah but restores faith in our transportation system to ensure the safety of those traveling on our nation’s roads.