Lawmakers propose ban on Chinese cars

U.S. lawmakers have moved beyond social-media chatter and into filed legislation on Chinese vehicles. In late April, Senators Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, and Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, according to Slotkin’s office. On May 11 and May 12, House lawmakers and news outlets said Representatives John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican, and Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, were introducing a companion measure to tighten an existing U.S. ban on Chinese automakers and related technology. ### Which lawmakers actually put forward a bill? April 29 is the clearest dated filing now in public view. Slotkin and Moreno said that day they had introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, which they said would cut off vehicles, software and critical hardware originating from China or Chinese companies “at every point in the chain,” from manufacturing to import to sale. (slotkin.senate.gov) May 11 and May 12 brought the House side into focus. Reuters and CNBC reported that Moolenaar and Dingell were introducing legislation that closely mirrors the Senate bill and would codify and strengthen Biden-era connected-vehicle restrictions. ### Is this about all Chinese cars, or specifically “connected vehicles”? (slotkin.senate.gov) The House and Senate proposals are framed around connected vehicles and the software and hardware inside them, not a simple country-of-assembly label alone. Reuters reported the House bill would ban vehicles designed in China if they had advanced connectivity as well as vehicle software. Slotkin’s office said the Senate bill targets vehicles, software and critical hardware from China or Chinese companies. (usnews.com) January 2025 is the regulatory backdrop. Reuters said the Biden administration imposed regulations that effectively ban Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the United States, citing national-security concerns tied to data collection by connected cars. The new bills are aimed at writing that approach into law and broadening it. (usnews.com) ### What deadlines and restrictions are in the proposal? January 1, 2027, is the first date attached to the House proposal described by CNBC. The outlet reported that prohibitions on connected-vehicle software would begin then, while restrictions on hardware would begin on January 1, 2030. CNBC also reported the House bill would cover Russia, North Korea and Iran in addition to China. (usnews.com) No public bill text was provided in the social-media roundup cited in your prompt. The verifiable public record instead comes from lawmakers’ statements and reporting that identifies named sponsors, the bill title and the proposed implementation dates. ### What reasons are lawmakers giving? (cnbc.com) National security and industrial policy are the two arguments lawmakers have put on the record. Slotkin said Chinese cars are “surveillance packages on wheels” and said the proposal was meant to stop Americans’ data from being collected on U.S. roads and sent to Beijing. Dingell said at a press conference that China was not competing on a level playing field and pointed to subsidies, currency practices and forced labor allegations. (slotkin.senate.gov) Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, also backed the Senate bill. Slotkin’s office quoted Fain as saying the U.S. auto industry must invest in technology and build vehicles in the United States with UAW labor. ### How has China responded? The Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the U.S. push. (slotkin.senate.gov) Reuters reported the embassy urged the United States to stop “overstretching the concept of national security” and to provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment. May 2026 is also the political timing. CNBC and Reuters both said the House push came just before President Donald Trump’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as lawmakers and industry groups pressed the administration not to open the U.S. market to Chinese automakers. (slotkin.senate.gov) ### Where should readers look next? Congress.gov is the main public tracker for bill text, sponsors, referrals and committee action in the 119th Congress. (usnews.com) As of the material reviewed here, the most concrete public markers are the April 29 Senate announcement from Slotkin’s office and the May 11-12 reports identifying the House sponsors and proposed start dates. The next verifiable step is publication of full legislative text and any committee scheduling under the names Slotkin, Moreno, Moolenaar and Dingell. (slotkin.senate.gov)