Republicans act to stop Brandon from buying commie batteries

A group of House Republicans has introduced additional legislation aimed at preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from procuring batteries from six China-based companies.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, introduced the legislation, H.R.8631, on June 5, titled “Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act.”

“We cannot continue ceding dominance over our critical supply chains to our greatest geopolitical rival. I am proud to introduce this legislation to ensure the Chinese Communist Party can’t exploit economic or security vulnerabilities that could be created through DHS reliance on lithium-ion batteries,” Mr. Gimenez said in a statement.

The six companies identified in the bill are Contemporary Amperex Technology Company (CATL), BYD, Envision Energy, EVE Energy, Gotion High-Tech, and Hithium Energy Storage Technology. If signed into law, the ban would take effect on Oct. 1, 2027.

The legislation resembles a provision in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which bans the Department of Defense from buying batteries from the same six China-based companies.

“The West was far too late to recognize the threat of Huawei, TikTok, and PRC-manufactured cranes installed at America’s seaports,” Mr. Gimenez said, referring to China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.

“We know that doing business in China means enriching the CCP—and that comes at a steep cost, even if there are perceived short-term benefits. America must be proactive in addressing the threats posed by the CCP to our technology, information, and way of life,” Mr. Gimenez said.

“The Department of Defense has rightfully ended the use of these PRC-manufactured batteries, and it is past time for DHS to follow suit.”

The proposal follows a mid-May action from the Biden administration to impose a 100 percent tariff, up from 25 percent, on electric vehicle imports from China in 2024.
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“American tax dollars should never be used to further the Chinese Communist Party’s hopes to dominate key technologies at our expense,” Mr. Moolenaar said in a statement. “Our military has already banned these batteries and DHS should do the same.”
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https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/house-republicans-seek-to-ban-dhs-from-buying-chinese-batteries-5665410