The PATRIOT Act approved by lawmakers in October 2001 requires background checks to be done on all CDL holders that haul hazardous materials when licenses are first issued and when drivers renew those licenses. The legislation was hastily passed by Congress in response to the September 11 terrorist assault on America.

Many important details were not resolved when the PATRIOT Act was made law. Those details are the subject of an FMCSA rulemaking expected to be released at any time, S1750 introduced by Senators Hollings, McCain, Breaux and Smith (of Oregon), and a House bill that has not yet been introduced.

What follows is OOIDA's "white paper" on this subject to lawmakers.

Comments on this topic would be welcome in the Member's Only Forum.