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119-hr-203119th CongressWALLET

Red Light Act

Sponsored By: Representative Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

In Committee

Summary

Withholds federal highway funds from states that issue driver's licenses or ID cards to people unlawfully present in the United States. This bill would make the Secretary of Transportation withhold 100 percent of a state's share of three federal highway programs starting in FY2023 if that state has a law allowing such identification for unlawfully present aliens.

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  • States that enact laws allowing driver's licenses or other identification cards for unlawfully present aliens would lose 100 percent of their apportioned funds from the National Highway Performance Program, the Highway Safety Improvement Program, and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program each fiscal year.
  • Withheld funds remain available for apportionment until the end of the fiscal year and are returned to a state if it repeals the triggering law before year-end.
  • If a state does not repeal the law by the end of the fiscal year, the withheld funds are apportioned proportionally to other states that do not have such laws.
  • If a state that received reapportioned funds later enacts a qualifying law, the Secretary must withhold that state's apportioned amount in the following fiscal year.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Highway funds tied to IDs for unlawfully present

If enacted, the U.S. DOT would withhold 100% of certain federal highway funds from any State that allows driver’s licenses or other State ID cards for people unlawfully in the U.S. This would start in fiscal year 2023 and continue each year. Withheld money would stay available until the end of that fiscal year. If the State repeals those laws before year end, it would get any remaining withheld funds back that day. If it does not repeal, the money would be shared among States without such laws. If a State later adopts such a law again, full withholding would resume the next fiscal year.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

NY • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/13/2025

  • Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 1/13/2025

  • Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8]

    WI • R

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

    IL • R

    Sponsored 3/21/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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