Washington, March 14 (NationPress) A US senator has proposed new legislation aimed at preventing Chinese nationals and businesses with ties to Beijing from managing sensitive military cargo for the United States, asserting that existing regulations leave a significant gap in national security.

Senator Tom Cotton has put forward the Trucking Security and CCP Disclosure Act, a bill that mandates comprehensive national security evaluations for entities transporting Department of Defense cargo, thereby barring companies associated with China's military or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from obtaining such contracts.

This legislation requires trucking firms involved in the transport of US military freight to affirm that they possess no connections to the Chinese Communist Party or any Chinese organizations deemed a threat to national security.

“The Chinese Communist Party continues to gather intelligence on US military technology by taking advantage of truck drivers who manage Department of Defense cargo. My legislation will mandate thorough vetting for all individuals handling military freight, ensuring our adversaries cannot access sensitive information,” stated Cotton.

The bill also instructs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to create a Secure Defence Freight Carrier Registry—a roster of vetted carriers authorized to transport military goods.

According to the proposed law, trucking companies must prove they are not owned or overseen by Chinese military-affiliated organizations and have no substantial business ties with such firms.

The legislation is applicable not only to primary contractors but also to subcontractors and individual owner-operators engaged in the transportation of defense materials.

Under the bill, companies responsible for transporting Department of Defense cargo must provide a certification verifying they are not “owned or controlled by, and do not have significant business relationships with, any entity listed as a Chinese military company.”

Companies that knowingly submit inaccurate certifications could face suspension or exclusion from defense contracts, along with possible civil penalties.

The proposal mandates that firms maintain certification records for a minimum of five years and undergo periodic national security screenings.

A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Elise Stefanik.

Stefanik emphasized that this initiative is intended to address what lawmakers perceive as a serious loophole in current procurement regulations.

“It would astonish many Americans to learn that US law does not already prohibit the Chinese military from securing transportation contracts related to American defense projects. This bipartisan legislation eliminates that gap by establishing a definitive barrier between the Chinese Communist Party and Department of Defense contracts,” she noted.

“American taxpayer funds should never benefit our foremost adversary at the cost of US national security,” Stefanik added.

This legislative proposal emerges amid growing concerns in Washington regarding Chinese participation in supply chains tied to US defense initiatives.