Washington, D.C. – Congressman Rick Crawford’s (AR-01) legislation to ban Federal Transit Administration (FTA) aid from being used to buy Chinese-made railcars passed the House floor this evening. Under current law, rail rolling stock cannot be purchased from state-owned enterprises. FTA misapplied the law, however, and allowed certain transit rail car contracts to continue. H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act closes this loophole.

“Despite our efforts, the Chinese Communist Party has still maintained a foothold in the rail market through contracts that have been grandfathered in. Taxpayer dollars should never go to countries that continue to lie, steal, and cheat in an attempt to push the U.S. out of the global market. We need to keep our critical infrastructure safe from the hands of the CCP,” said Rep. Crawford.

Earlier this year, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) cancelled its contract with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) after frequently missed deadlines and quality issues. CRRC is one of the most subsidized companies in China and has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The CRRC has an ongoing contract with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), despite MBTA experiencing similar delays due to CRRC mismanagement. In March, it was reported that this project has cost MBTA over $1 billion, which is hundreds of millions more than the initial bid price, and is now set to be completed four years late.