Press Releases

Today, the House of Representatives approved legislation to eliminate loopholes allowing federal funds to be used to procure American transit rail cars from manufacturers controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and to ensure Amtrak becomes fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The House approved four pieces of legislation under the jurisdiction of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee: H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act; H.R. 6248, the Think Differently Transportation Act; H.R. 5799 designating checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located in Uvalde County, Texas as the “James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint;” and H.R. 5754, to designate a United State Courthouse in Los Angeles, CA, “Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse.”

“I want to thank Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford for introducing the Rolling Stock Protection Act and working to ensure strengthen our domestic supply chain and ensure that FTA funds are not going to Communist Chinese-controlled manufacturers,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO).  “I also want to applaud Congressman Molinaro for his strong advocacy for his Think Differently Transportation Act and making rail service more accessible for individuals with disabilities. I commend all the Members who worked to develop and get these important pieces of legislation passed in the House.”

H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act, was introduced in the House by Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR).  The bill ensures that all public transportation agencies are prohibited from using Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds to procure transit rail rolling stock from State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), including Communist Chinese-controlled manufacturers. While the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 prohibited public transportation agencies from using FTA funds to procure rolling stock from SOEs, the FTA exempted public transportation agencies that had such contracts in place, providing lifetime exemptions for four transit agencies.  This bill eliminates the lifetime exemption and stipulates that public transportation agencies are prohibited from using FTA funds to enter new contracts with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), or any other SOE.  This bill strengthens the domestic supply chain, preserves American jobs, protects taxpayers’ interests, defends our national security, and increases resiliency in our domestic transit and rail supply industry.

“Despite our efforts, the Chinese Communist Party has still maintained a foothold in the rail market through contracts that have been grandfathered in,” said Crawford. “Taxpayer dollars should never go to countries that continue to lie, steal, and cheat in an attempt to push the U.S. out of the global market. We need to keep our critical infrastructure safe from the hands of the CCP,” Rep. Crawford said.”

H.R. 6248, the Think Differently Transportation Act, was introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY).  The bipartisan bill addresses Amtrak’s need to provide service and accessibility for individuals with disabilities by ensuring Amtrak prioritizes full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).  The legislation requires Amtrak to annually report to Congress and the President on ADA compliance for Amtrak-served stations pursuant to a December 2020 settlement agreement between Amtrak and the Department of Justice arising from Amtrak’s continued noncompliance with the ADA.

“Thirty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, Amtrak still has work to do to become ADA compliant,” said Molinaro. “My bipartisan bill forces their hand to ensure all trains and stations are accessible for individuals with disabilities. I’m grateful to have this bill pass the House with immense bipartisan support, bringing us one step closer to an inclusive and accessible environment for those of all abilities.”

H.R. 5799, designating checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located on United States Highway 90 West in Uvalde County, Texas as the “James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint,” was introduced by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX). James R. Dominguez served as a United States Border Patrol Agent for twelve years at the Uvalde Station before being struck and killed by a passenger vehicle in the line of duty while assisting a disabled motorist on US 90 near Cline, Texas.

H.R 5754, to designate the United States courthouse located at 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, California, as the “Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse,” was introduced by U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez are known for their role in the civil rights movement, specifically their leadership in the 1946 Federal court case Mendez v. Westminster, which desegregated public schools in California and served as a legal precedent for the landmark Brown v. Board Supreme Court case.