This is common sense law and we are proud to support it.
A new bipartisan bill would block companies with ties to “foreign entities of concern,” including China. From receiving federal tax money to build new school buses.
Federal funds are already prohibited from funding Chinese state-owned or supported enterprises to manufacture public transportation vehicles such as rail cars and buses. But loopholes in the law mean federal funds could still go to these companies to manufacture school buses, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) That loophole is a pressing concern considering the $3 billion already spent replacing gasoline-powered school bus fleets with electric models.
Please enter school bus safety lawSen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) on Wednesday. ) was introduced by.
“It is unacceptable for our adversaries to receive any benefits at the expense of American taxpayers,” Cornyn said. “This bill would prohibit federal funds from going to subsidiaries or spinoffs from China or other countries of concern that have no interest in our country, and I am happy to support it.”
EPA received $5 billion The bipartisan Infrastructure Act would replace existing school buses with electric, zero-emission models. But as the agency began implementing his Clean School Bus Program in 2022, it chose to: Does not apply the “Build America, Buy America Act” Transition to the program, our movement criticized at that time.
As a result, when the EPA awards federal taxpayer funds to local entities to purchase new electric zero-emission school buses, there are no guardrails to ensure that the funds do not benefit companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. . and as a senator Note“Some of these companies sell buses specifically for clean school bus programs.”
It’s not just a bad use of taxpayers’ money. Why is the United States giving taxpayer money to Chinese state-owned and sponsored companies rather than reinvesting it in its own manufacturers? — To our greatest geopolitical adversary, our children Allowing the production of the vehicles that transport children to school every day is also a major security risk.
After all, it was a national security concern. Quoted by Members of Parliament When we passed the Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act (TIVSA), we effectively blocked companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party from receiving federal funding to manufacture rail cars and buses. Meanwhile, Mr. Blackburn is also working with U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). Research Chinese car companies Regarding the relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
as a senator put it down: “If these products aren’t safe enough for public transportation, they certainly aren’t safe enough for our nation’s children.”
The Alliance for American Manufacturing supports the Safe School Bus Act, along with Heritage Action, but they are not organizations we typically work with. But it shows the common sense nature of this law, and we encourage Congress to enact it.
“The Clean School Bus Program has provided school districts in Arizona and across the country with an opportunity to modernize their school bus fleets while supporting bus manufacturers based here in the United States,” Kelly said. “This bill would prevent companies receiving state aid from the Chinese government from using this program to unfairly compete with American manufacturers. We have taken the same measures, and now it is time to apply the same standards to the buses that transport our children to school every day.”
Baldwin added: “If we’re going to spend taxpayer money, we should invest that money back into American businesses, workers, and communities, and not send it overseas to enemy countries like China.” Work with my colleagues to ensure that tax dollars invested in our children’s school buses do not line the pockets of bad actors like China and give them a competitive advantage over our workers and businesses. I am proud to be able to work with you.”
