S 5294 Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require all railroad freight cars operating on the United States general railroad system of transportation to meet certain manufacturing and content requirements, and for other purposes.
Summary
- The bill requires that railroad freight cars used to transport Department of Defense cargo meet specific manufacturing age requirements, starting with newly produced cars and phasing in older cars over a four-year period.
- For the first year after enactment, railroad freight cars transporting Department of Defense cargo must have been produced within the prior two years.
- The manufacturing age requirement gradually expands over the following three years to allow cars produced within 5 years, then 10 years, then 15 years of the requirement date, and any railroad freight car four years after enactment.
- The bill provides exceptions allowing older railroad freight cars to transport Department of Defense cargo if used for clandestine purposes unknown to countries of concern or when railroad owners receive no advance notice of the shipment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (R-IA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Joni Ernst’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $57,653
- CAPITAL GROUP $40,000
- SOROBAN CAPITAL $13,200
- CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES $7,500
- GOOGLE $6,800
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Joni Ernst → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Aug 6, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Aug 6, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Ms. Ernst introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require all railroad freight cars operating on the United States general railroad system of transportation to meet certain manufacturing and content requirements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO REQUIREMENTS FOR RAILROAD FREIGHT CARS PLACED INTO SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES AND TRANSPORTING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CARGO.
Section 20171 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (12), as paragraphs (6) through (13), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
“(5) Department of defense cargo.—The term ‘Department of Defense cargo’ means the movement of goods by a rail carrier arranged for, by, or on behalf of any of the Armed Forces, as defined in section 101 of title 10.”;
(2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking “A railroad” and inserting “Except as required in subsection (d), a railroad”;
(3) in subsection (c)(3)(B) by striking “Association of American Railroad’s Umler system” and inserting “Association of American Railroads’ Umler system”; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Requirements for Railroad Freight Cars Transporting Department of Defense Cargo.—For railroad freight cars transporting Department of Defense cargo, only the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1) shall apply and such requirements shall apply as follows:
“(1) For the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, a railroad freight car produced during the 2-year period immediately prior to such date of enactment.
“(2) For the 1-year period beginning 1 year after such date of enactment, a railroad freight car produced during the 5-year period immediately prior to such date of enactment.
“(3) For the 1-year period beginning 2 years after such date of enactment, a railroad freight car produced during the 10-year period immediately prior to such date of enactment.
“(4) For the 1-year period beginning 3 years after such date of enactment, a railroad freight car produced during the 15-year period immediately prior to such date of enactment.
“(5) On and after the date that is 4 years after such date of enactment, a railroad freight car.
“(e) Exception.—Notwithstanding subsection (d) the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1) shall not apply if—
“(1) the railcar is used for transporting Department of Defense cargo for clandestine purposes and reasonably believed to be unknown to a country of concern; or
“(2) the railroad freight car owner has not been notified in advance of Department of Defense cargo being shipped in the railroad freight car.”. <all>
Comments