The Biden administration’s Transportation Department, now led by Secretary Sean Duffy, did the right thing by pulling roughly $40 million in federal highway safety funds from California after the state refused to enforce new English-proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers. This is not a petty budget spat; it’s a commonsense enforcement of a safety standard meant to protect American families on our roads.
That decision follows a tragic Florida crash involving a trucker who reportedly lacked sufficient English skills to understand road signs and communicate with law enforcement, a reality Duffy cited when he pushed for the rule. If left-wing sanctuary policies and soft-on-compliance approaches put drivers on the road who can’t read critical signage, the predictable result is avoidable deaths and ruined lives.
California’s reflexive political defense of its lax licensing practices is infuriating but not surprising. Governor Gavin Newsom and his allies would rather posture about “rights” than acknowledge that licensing is a federal-state partnership with basic safety obligations — and Duffy is right to say he’s running out of patience.
This was not a one-off warning: the administration gave California, Washington, and New Mexico 30 days to comply or face cuts, and officials have signaled the potential for another roughly $160 million in withheld funds if states continue issuing non-domiciled commercial licenses in defiance of federal rules. Let that sink in — states that act like they’re above the law will see the money they get to keep roads safe pulled back.
Yes, there are concerns from industry about drivers being sidelined — reports show thousands have been affected by the stricter roadside English checks — but safety is not a negotiable preference. Conservatives believe in the rule of law and protecting American citizens; allowing ambiguous standards that endanger lives because of political correctness simply isn’t acceptable.
California will try the usual playbook: point to statistics, reframe the debate, and accuse the federal government of heavy-handedness. But no amount of spin changes the simple fact that federal standards exist for a reason and states taking the easy, permissive route have consequences when families are harmed.
Hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to choose between political virtue signaling and basic road safety. Secretary Duffy’s move sends a clear message: enforce the law, protect our roads, and stop rewarding states that prioritize ideology over citizens. If governors want their federal dollars, they’ll start acting like responsible partners instead of defiant outlaws.
