Washington: A US senator has introduced legislation aimed at blocking Chinese nationals and companies linked to Beijing from handling sensitive American military freight, arguing that current laws leave a major national security loophole.
Senator Tom Cotton has unveiled the Trucking Security and CCP Disclosure Act, a bill that would require strict national-security screening for companies transporting Department of War cargo and prevent firms linked to China’s military or the Chinese Communist Party from participating in such contracts.
The legislation would require trucking companies moving US military freight to certify that they have no ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or Chinese entities considered a national-security threat.
“Communist China continues spying on American military technology by exploiting truck drivers handling Department of War cargo. My bill will require anyone handling military freight to be properly vetted to ensure our adversaries cannot gain access to valuable information,” Cotton said.
The proposal also directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to establish a Secure Defence Freight Carrier Registry — a list of approved carriers that pass national-security vetting and are cleared to transport military cargo.
Under the measure, trucking firms would have to demonstrate that they are not owned or controlled by Chinese military-linked companies and have no significant business relationships with such entities.
The legislation would apply not only to prime contractors but also to subcontractors and individual owner-operators involved in transporting defence shipments.
According to the bill, companies transporting Department of Defence freight must submit a certification confirming they are not “owned or controlled by, and does not have significant business relationships with, any entity identified on the most recent list of Chinese military companies.”
Firms that knowingly submit false certifications could face suspension or debarment from defence contracts as well as civil penalties.
The proposal also requires that companies keep certification records for at least five years and pass periodic national-security checks.
A companion bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Elise Stefanik.
Stefanik said the measure is designed to close what lawmakers view as a dangerous gap in existing procurement rules.
“Most Americans would be shocked to learn that US law does not already prohibit Communist China’s military from receiving transportation contracts tied to American defence projects. This bicameral legislation closes that loophole by establishing a clear firewall between the Chinese Communist Party and Department of War contracts,” she said.
“American tax dollars should never benefit our greatest adversary at the expense of US national security,” Stefanik added.
The proposal comes amid intensifying scrutiny in Washington over Chinese involvement in supply chains connected to US defence programs.
(IANS)
