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Lawmakers Push Plan for Screened Military Freight Carriers
Proposal Would Require FMCSA to Create Secure Defense Registry
Key Takeaways:
- Proposed legislation would require FMCSA to create a registry of vetted carriers authorized to transport military freight.
- The bill would ban China‑backed companies from hauling Department of Defense cargo and require carriers to certify no ties to the CCP.
- Lawmakers aim to include the measure in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
Federal lawmakers are proposing the create a registry of authorized motor carriers that have been screened to carry U.S. military freight.
The FMCSA registry would block foreign adversaries, especially China, from having physical access to important military cargo through transportation contracts.
“Most Americans would be shocked to learn that U.S. law does not already prohibit Communist China’s military from receiving transportation contracts tied to American defense projects,” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said March 12.
Stefanik and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced the in both the House and Senate to ensure the secure transport of Department of Defense freight. Cotton is a senior member of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, while Stefanik sits on the House Armed Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.
They are working to include the legislation in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. The NDAA each year authorizes funding for the military and other defense priorities to provide training, equipment and resources for missions.
Two Main Elements
- Create the new FMCSA registry to screen and authorize carriers.
- Ban China-backed companies from operating trucks carrying DOD cargo. (It would apply to prime contractors, subcontractors and owner-operators.)
“This bicameral legislation closes that loophole by establishing a clear firewall between the Chinese Communist Party and Department of War contracts. American tax dollars should never benefit our greatest adversary at the expense of U.S. national security,” Stefanik added.
The act seeks to require trucking companies carrying military cargo to certify they have no ties to the Chinese Communist Party or Chinese companies that pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Military Freight Carrier Registry
If the act succeeds, the FMCSA would be mandated one year after its passage to create the Secure Defense Freight Carrier Registry.
Freight carriers would be approved if they meet FMCSA regulations and all applicable Defense Department standards for qualified carriers. Also, the companies would have to pass an initial enhanced national security vetting and submit to regular rescreening no longer than every two years.
China continues to spy on American military technology “by exploiting truck drivers handling Department of War cargo,” Cotton noted in the joint announcement with Stefanik. “My bill will require anyone handling military freight to be properly vetted to ensure our adversaries cannot gain access to valuable information.”
The House version of the bill (HR 7924) was referred March 12 to the Committee on Armed Services as well as the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
