US federal government to withhold $40M from California over English-only trucker rule
'California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,' says transportation secretary
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WASHINGTON
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that he will withhold $40 million from California because the state is failing to comply with English language proficiency guidelines for commercial truck drivers.
“I put states on notice this summer: enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming," Duffy said in a statement.
"California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s road," he added.
Duffy said California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s "insistence on obstructing federal law has tied my hands."
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April requiring commercial truck drivers to be proficient in English.
Proficiency in English should be a "non-negotiable safety requirement" for professional drivers, according to the order.
"They should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers," it said.
