Senator Rick Scott has sent a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, commending the Trump administration for actions aimed at improving roadway safety. The letter highlights federal efforts to address the issue of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) being issued to individuals who are in the country illegally, following a fatal crash in Florida involving an undocumented immigrant who held a CDL from California.
In his letter, Scott thanked both secretaries and President Trump for their work on policies intended to enhance safety on American roads. He criticized previous policies that allowed drivers without English proficiency to operate commercial vehicles. “Thank you for the leadership you, your agencies, and President Trump have shown in advancing policies to make American roadways safe again. I appreciate your efforts to restore safety to our roads following the dangerous Obama-era policy that allowed drivers lacking English proficiency to operate commercial motor vehicles without the ability to comprehend basic traffic signs or speak our language,” Scott wrote.
Scott referenced a crash earlier in the year that resulted in three deaths in Florida, stating: “Earlier this year, three innocent people in my state of Florida were killed by an illegal alien who was granted a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in the state of California. This gut-wrenching tragedy should never have happened, and I appreciate you both taking swift action to ensure this can never happen again.”
The senator noted actions taken by federal agencies after audits found that some states had issued CDLs improperly. “One vital action in preventing the recurrence of this tragedy was the Department of Transportation’s emergency action this September, restricting eligibility for nondomiciled learner’s permits and CDLs in response to the ongoing nationwide audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This much-needed audit has already uncovered blatant disregard for public safety by certain states – especially California, which improperly issued more than 25% of its non-domiciled CDLs,” he said.
He also acknowledged cooperation between federal authorities and state law enforcement: “I was also grateful to see the Department of Homeland Security partner with state and local law enforcement to actively address the threat posed by these illegal and unqualified drivers. During September’s joint operation between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, not only were 91 illegal aliens found to be operating a commercial vehicle with a CDL, but one illegal alien possessed a Real ID-compliant CDL issued by the state of New York to ‘No Name Given.’ The New York Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed that this license was authentic.”
Scott pointed out other enforcement efforts such as Operation Midway Blitz: “This licensing failure was further highlighted by Operation Midway Blitz, a joint ICE-Indiana State Police operation. As of October 30, this operation resulted in the arrest of 223 illegal aliens on Indiana highways, 40 of whom possessed CDLs.”
The senator expressed concern about reports involving USPS: “However, it is deeply concerning that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) reportedly uses the very same drivers that your agencies have worked to keep off our country’s roads in order to protect American lives. These reports indicate the USPS has become dependent on a CDL workforce made up of illegal aliens, and, as a result, it is now rescinding its temporary ban on these same employees after only a few short days, despite guidance from the administration.”
Scott affirmed support for legislation requiring lawful residency for CDL holders and English-only testing standards: “I am also proud to support your efforts to protect citizens on our roadways by joining my colleague, Senator Ashley Moody, in advancing the Safer Truckers Act… I am also proud to have joined Senator Tom Cotton in advancing the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act… These bills are critical steps…”
Rick Scott represents Florida as its U.S. Senator and participates on several Senate committees including those focused on aging issues and national security according to his official website. He assumed office after being sworn into his position in January 2019 and operates district offices throughout major cities such as Naples and Tampa to assist constituents. Before entering politics he served with distinction in the U.S Navy and co-founded a healthcare company according to official information.
Scott regularly issues legislative proposals regarding national concerns through official channels as detailed online.
