Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would protect the U.S. rail network from foreign surveillance and ensure sensitive cargo movements cannot be tracked.
Railcars rely on advanced sensors and tracking systems to maintain safety and efficiency. Foreign-developed tracking technology is prohibited on new railcars, but current law does not address the technology on existing cars. The availability of Chinese manufactured technology raises concerns the Chinese Communist Party could exploit the systems to monitor sensitive U.S. cargo.
The Keeping China Off the Rails Act provides a tiered compliance schedule giving the railway industry time to transition from foreign adversary technology.
U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and John Moolenaar (R-MI), House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chairman, introduced the bill.
“We have to take commonsense steps to make sure the Chinese Communist Party — or any foreign adversary — can’t track what we’re moving across the country, especially when it involves sensitive or military cargo,” Gottheimer said.
“We cannot allow the companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party access to information that could track sensitive shipments and undermine our national security,” Moolenaar said. “Our bipartisan legislation addresses dangerous oversights in existing law and ensures this critical infrastructure is protected.”