A recent amendment to a House GOP spending bill could potentially prevent the U.S. government from purchasing vehicles from Ford and Tesla due to their connections with the Chinese battery company CATL. This information was shared by Andres Picon, a reporter for Politico, on X. “Tucked into a House GOP spending bill amendment this week was a provision that, if enacted, could effectively bar the government from buying vehicles made by Ford and potentially Tesla,” said Picon. He added that “GOP has national security concerns about the automakers’ ties to a Chinese battery company.”
House Republicans have been advancing several fiscal 2026 spending bills that reveal significant disagreements within the party over energy and environmental policy, according to E&E News. A specific amendment in the Financial Services-General Government bill aims to stop the General Services Administration (GSA) from acquiring vehicles from automakers like Ford and potentially Tesla because of their licensing agreements with CATL. This reflects broader Republican concerns about national security risks linked to partnerships with Chinese technology.
The U.S. General Services Administration oversees a federal fleet of over 650,000 vehicles, purchasing tens of thousands of new models annually. If companies like Ford and Tesla are excluded due to their ties with CATL, taxpayer dollars would not support firms associated with Chinese technology.
Critics argue that including Ford and Tesla vehicles in the federal fleet could enhance Beijing’s influence over critical supply chains. Bloomberg reports that Ford has partnered with CATL for a licensed battery plant in Michigan, while Tesla continues sourcing batteries from CATL for its electric vehicle lineup. Opponents warn that such reliance embeds Chinese technology deeply into America’s electric vehicle infrastructure.
Lawmakers backing the GOP amendment believe banning federal purchases of Ford and Tesla vehicles is essential to counter China’s dominance in battery production.
Andres Picon covers Congress and energy policy for Politico and has previously worked at various publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and Boston Globe. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University.
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