Palmetto State News

U.S. Senators Tim Scott and Marco Rubio have introduced the Blocking Bad Batteries Act, which aims to prevent the U.S. Department of State from procuring batteries produced by certain companies linked to the People's Republic of China (PRC). This move seeks to address concerns similar to those raised by Huawei's integration into global telecommunications networks.

"Taking proactive steps to prevent our national security agencies from doing business with companies that are linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army is in our nation’s best interest. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to further the goals of our adversaries," said Senator Scott. "I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation with Senator Rubio to safeguard our supply chains and prevent China from exploiting our technological dependencies for strategic advantage over the U.S."

Senator Rubio emphasized the importance of avoiding dependence on China for battery supplies. "It’s crucial that our nation, and certainly our State Department, doesn’t become dependent on Communist China for our battery supplies. This legislation is a vital tool to protect Americans, our national security interests and key supply chains," he stated.

The legislation follows actions taken in the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), where Congress prohibited the U.S. Department of Defense from procuring batteries from specific PRC-linked companies, including CATL. The new bill extends these restrictions to U.S. embassies worldwide by applying them to the Department of State as well.

In December, Senators Scott and Rubio sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressing concerns about using CATL batteries at Camp Lejeune and other military installations.

The text of the legislation is available online.