Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026

The Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026 amends federal law to restrict the use of foreign-made railroad freight cars for transporting Department of Defense cargo. The bill establishes a phased timeline that gradually tightens these restrictions, starting with a two-year production limit and expanding to fifteen years before requiring all such cars to be produced in the United States four years after enactment. These requirements apply specifically to railcars moving goods arranged by or on behalf of the Armed Forces, effectively excluding foreign-manufactured equipment from military logistics over time. Exceptions are included for shipments involving clandestine operations where foreign involvement must remain unknown or when car owners have not been notified in advance of the cargo type.