Andres Picon, a reporter with Politico, said that a House GOP spending bill amendment could prevent the government from purchasing Ford and Tesla vehicles due to concerns about their connections to the Chinese battery company CATL. This statement was made 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. "GOP has national security concerns about the automakers' ties to a Chinese battery company."
According to E&E News, House Republicans have advanced several fiscal 2026 spending bills that highlight significant intraparty disagreements over energy and environmental policy. A notable amendment in the Financial Services-General Government bill aims to prohibit the General Services Administration (GSA) from acquiring vehicles from automakers like Ford and potentially Tesla because of their licensing agreements with CATL. This provision reflects broader Republican concerns regarding national security risks associated with Chinese technology partnerships.
The U.S. General Services Administration reported that the federal government's fleet exceeds 650,000 vehicles, with annual purchases of tens of thousands of new models. If automakers linked to CATL, such as Ford and Tesla, are excluded from procurement, this rule would prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting firms tied to Chinese technology. Critics argue that allowing Ford and Tesla vehicles into the federal fleet strengthens Beijing's control over critical supply chains.
According to Bloomberg, Ford has partnered with CATL for a licensed battery plant in Michigan, while Tesla continues sourcing batteries from CATL to expand its electric vehicle lineup. Opponents of these arrangements warn that such dependence embeds Chinese technology deep into America's electric vehicle infrastructure. Lawmakers supporting the GOP amendment argue that banning federal purchases of Ford and Tesla vehicles is necessary to counter China's dominance in battery production.
Picon covers Congress and energy policy and was previously a POLITICO fellow. He joined Politico from the San Francisco Chronicle, where he worked as a general assignment reporter. Earlier in his career, he reported on education at the San Antonio Express-News and worked at the Boston Globe. Picon holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University, according to his bio at Politico.
