PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1] · R–TN
Legislative record
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Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Oct 7, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-08-27 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would require the Commerce Department to study passenger-vehicle manufacturers’ business ties with foreign adversaries, including arrangements involving connected-vehicle equipment and software. It would examine potential harm to U.S. security, competitiveness, and intellectual property, as well as technology transfers. Commerce would report to Congress and publish an unclassified report within two years after enactment, while withholding protected business and security information.
(a) Study required The Secretary shall conduct a study on covered activity by manufacturers.
(A) Any adverse impact to the national security, economic competitiveness, or intellectual property protection of the United States resulting from such covered activity.
(C) Any transfer of technology relating to critical and emerging technology to any entity described in subparagraph (B) or a manufacturer controlled by a foreign adversary.
(9) Manufacturer The term manufacturer means any person in the United States that manufactures, assembles, or imports a passenger motor vehicle, including a passenger motor vehicle that includes covered hardware or covered software. (10) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Commerce (acting through the Office of the Secretary of Commerce).
(d) Submission; publication Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the study required by subsection (a); and (2) publish an unclassified report on a website of the Department of Commerce, except that the Secretary may not disclose confidential business information, trade secrets, or information the disclosure of which would reasonably be expected to harm the national security of the United States.
The proposed short title is the Automotive National and Economic Security Act of 2026.
1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Automotive National and Economic Security Act of 2026.
The study would cover people or businesses in the United States that manufacture, assemble, or import passenger vehicles. A foreign manufacturer would count as controlled by a foreign adversary if it meets any listed location or legal-organization test, or earns at least 50 percent of its annual revenue in a foreign adversary. The bill takes its definition of foreign adversary from another statute.
(9) Manufacturer The term manufacturer means any person in the United States that manufactures, assembles, or imports a passenger motor vehicle, including a passenger motor vehicle that includes covered hardware or covered software.
(3) Controlled by a foreign adversary The term controlled by a foreign adversary means, with respect to a manufacturer, that such manufacturer is a foreign person that— (A) is domiciled in a foreign adversary; (B) is headquartered in a foreign adversary; (C) has a principal place of business in a foreign adversary; (D) is organized under the laws of a foreign adversary; or (E) derives at least 50 percent of annual revenue in a foreign adversary.
(8) Foreign adversary The term foreign adversary has the meaning given the term covered nation in section 4872(f) of title 10, United States Code.
Covered business arrangements must relate to manufacturing vehicles, covered hardware, or covered software and involve at least one foreign adversary or adversary-controlled manufacturer. They include direct or indirect ownership, commercial partnerships, technology-sharing agreements, and manufacturer investments in adversary-controlled vehicle or vehicle-equipment manufacturers.
(4) Covered activity The term covered activity means any of the following commercial arrangements or agreements related to the manufacture of motor vehicles, covered hardware, or covered software with respect to which at least 1 party is a foreign adversary or a manufacturer controlled by a foreign adversary: (A) Any ownership interest, direct or indirect, in a manufacturer. (B) Any commercial partnership, including a joint venture, subsidiary, or contract manufacturing agreement. (C) Any technology sharing agreement, including a research and development partnership or a licensing agreement. (D) Any investment by a manufacturer in a motor vehicle manufacturer or vehicle equipment manufacturer controlled by a foreign adversary.
Covered hardware would include programmable vehicle components that connect directly to systems handling radio communications above 450 megahertz and enable their connectivity. It would also include electronics integrated into electric-vehicle batteries that enable or control monitoring, management, security, or external communication of battery performance or operation.
(5) Covered hardware The term covered hardware means— (A) software-enabled or programmable components that— (i) are installed or designed to be installed in or on a motor vehicle; (ii) are directly connected to systems in or on a motor vehicle that directly enable the transmission, receipt, conversion, or processing of radio frequency communications at a frequency over 450 megahertz; and (iii) directly or as a part of an item, enables the connectivity functions of such systems; or (B) electronic systems integrated into an electric vehicle battery that directly enable or control the monitoring, management, security, or external communication of battery performance or operation, including any transmitter or interface component that performs such functions.
Covered software would include vehicle applications, system software, and artificial-intelligence components running on the primary processors of equipment that directly enables covered hardware or automated driving. Covered automated-driving systems must perform the entire driving task on a sustained basis and qualify as Level 3, 4, or 5 automation, even if they operate only under specified conditions.
(6) Covered software The term covered software means a software-based component, including any application, middleware, system software, and any machine-learning model or other artificial intelligence component, that is installed in or on a motor vehicle, or designed to be installed in or on a motor vehicle, and that is executed by the primary processing unit or units of an item that directly enables, at the vehicle level, the functioning of covered hardware or an automated driving system.
(2) Automated driving system The term automated driving system— (A) means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether such system is limited to a specific operational design domain; and (B) includes only a system that meets the definition of Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 automation.
Commerce would assess each manufacturer’s covered activities. The assessment list calls for examining any resulting harm to U.S. security, competitiveness, or intellectual-property protection and involvement by adversary-controlled, state-directed investment entities, including militaries, political parties, state-owned businesses, and government investment funds. These are subjects for investigation, not findings that harm has occurred.
(b) Elements In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall assess the following: (1) The engagement of each manufacturer in any covered activity. (2) With respect to any covered activity described in paragraph (2): (A) Any adverse impact to the national security, economic competitiveness, or intellectual property protection of the United States resulting from such covered activity. (B) Any involvement by an entity controlled by a foreign adversary that is a State-directed investment vehicle, including any military, political party, State-owned enterprise, sovereign wealth fund, or government-controlled investment vehicle.
The assessment list also calls for examining transfers of specified technologies to adversary-controlled state investment entities or manufacturers, and manufacturers’ related operations or employees in a foreign adversary. The technology categories span computing, materials, sensing, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, clean energy, data protection, autonomous systems, robotics, human-machine interfaces, communications, positioning and timing, quantum technology, and microelectronics.
(C) Any transfer of technology relating to critical and emerging technology to any entity described in subparagraph (B) or a manufacturer controlled by a foreign adversary. (D) Any operations or employees of the manufacturer in a foreign adversary relating to such covered activity.
(7) Critical and emerging technology The term critical and emerging technology means any of the following: (A) Advanced computing. (B) Advanced engineering materials. (C) Advanced and networked sensing and signature management. (D) Advanced manufacturing. (E) Artificial intelligence. (F) Clean energy generation and storage. (G) Data privacy, data security, and cybersecurity technology. (H) Highly automated, autonomous, and uncrewed Systems (UxS) and robotics. (I) Human-machine interfaces. (J) Integrated communication and networking technology. (K) Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology. (L) Quantum information and enabling technology. (M) Semiconductors and microelectronics.
The Commerce Secretary, acting through the Secretary’s office, would conduct the study and consult the heads of agencies the Secretary determines are relevant.
(10) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Commerce (acting through the Office of the Secretary of Commerce).
(a) Study required The Secretary shall conduct a study on covered activity by manufacturers.
(c) Consultation In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the head of any relevant agency as determined by the Secretary.
Within two years after enactment, Commerce would have to send its study report to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The deadline would run from enactment, not introduction.
(d) Submission; publication Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the study required by subsection (a);
(1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
By the same two-year deadline, Commerce would have to publish an unclassified report on its website. The Secretary could not disclose confidential business information, trade secrets, or information whose disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm U.S. national security.
(d) Submission; publication Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the study required by subsection (a); and (2) publish an unclassified report on a website of the Department of Commerce, except that the Secretary may not disclose confidential business information, trade secrets, or information the disclosure of which would reasonably be expected to harm the national security of the United States.
The October 7, 2026 source snapshot records introduction in the House on August 27, 2026, referrals to the Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology committees, and referral to the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-07T15:42:37Z.
2026-08-27: Introduced in House
2026-08-27: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
2026-08-27: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The October 7, 2026 source snapshot records subcommittee consideration and forwarding to the full committee by voice vote on September 1. It records committee consideration and a 33–0 vote ordering the bill reported on September 16. An order to report is a committee action, not passage by the full House.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-07T15:42:37Z. 2026-09-16: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0. 2026-09-16: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held 2026-09-01: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote. 2026-09-01: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-08-27. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; the bundle does not establish earmark status in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential benefit, special exemption, or carve-out was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Oct 7, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI