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.

House Bill

H.R. 5656

119th Congress

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.

In Committee

Introduced:Sep 30, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Christopher H. Smith

Representative

Republican

NJ-4

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Taxation

Summary

This bill would allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to start issuing commercial driver's licenses, which are required for operating large vehicles like trucks and buses. It also provides a 5-year grace period for these territories to fully comply with federal commercial driver's license requirements without facing penalties.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

SponsorChristopher H. Smith (R-NJ)

Introduced9/30/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

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.

This bill would allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to start issuing commercial driver's licenses, which are required for operating large vehicles like trucks and buses. It also provides a 5-year grace period for these territories to fully comply wit

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill would allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to start issuing commercial driver's licenses, which are required for operating large vehicles like trucks and buses. It also provides a 5-year grace period for these territories to fully comply with federal commercial driver's license requirements without facing penalties.

Bill Number: 5656
Sponsor: Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)
Introduced: 9/30/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Policy Area: Taxation

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: 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.
Bill Number: 5656
Sponsor: Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced: 9/30/2025
Summary: This bill would allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to start issuing commercial driver's licenses, which are required for operating large vehicles like trucks and buses. It also provides a 5-year grace period for these territories to fully comply with federal commercial driver's license re

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would allow the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to start issuing commercial driver's licenses, which are required for operating large vehicles like trucks and buses. It also provides a 5-year grace period for these territories to fully comply with federal commercial driver's license requirements without facing penalties.

Last updated: 12/29/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Michael F. Donoughe Tax Credit for Off Road Electric Vehicles Act This bill expands the clean vehicle tax credit to include new qualified off-road plug-in electric vehicles. The amount of the tax credit allowed for a new qualified off-road plug-in electric vehicle is 10% of the cost of the vehicle or $2,500, whichever is lower.The bill defines a new qualified off-road plug-in electric vehicle as any vehicle that<ul><li>is acquired new and for use by the taxpayer;</li><li>is made by a qualified manufacturer;</li><li>is powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery with a capacity of at least six  kilowatt hours;</li><li>has final assembly occurring in North America;</li><li>has a dry weight of less than 3,500 pounds;</li><li>has three or more wheels;</li><li>has one or more seats;</li><li>is manufactured primarily for off-road use;</li><li>is designed for use on rough terrain and, except in the case of a vehicle designed to operate on land and water, is not designed to operate on rails, in the air, or in or on the water; and</li><li>is capable of reaching a speed of 40 miles per hour.</li></ul>Under current law, a qualified manufacturer is any manufacturer that has a written agreement with the Internal Revenue Service and submits reports containing information about each eligible clean vehicle.Finally, the bill allows the tax credit for a new qualified off-road plug-in electric vehicle to be transferred from the taxpayer to an eligible entity (e.g., vehicle dealer) in exchange for a financial benefit (e.g., rebate).

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Grants the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico eligibility to issue commercial driver's licenses
Provides a 5-year grace period for the territories to comply with federal commercial driver's license requirements without facing funding penalties
Requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to work with the territories to help them achieve full compliance

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If enacted, this bill would benefit residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by allowing them to obtain commercial driver's licenses within their home territories, which could expand job opportunities and commercial transportation services. It would also give the territories more time to update their licensing systems to meet federal standards without risking the loss of critical transportation funding.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Taxation

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

5656, 119th Congress (2025). "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.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5656