Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026

This bill amends U.S. law to require railroad freight cars operating on the U.S. general railroad system and transporting Department of Defense cargo to meet certain manufacturing and content requirements, with phased-in compliance periods and exceptions for clandestine operations or lack of advance notice.

Sec. 2, Amendments to requirements for railroad freight cars: The bill adds a definition for 'Department of Defense cargo' as goods moved by rail for any Armed Forces. It creates a new subsection (d) that applies only the manufacturing and content requirements from existing law (subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1)) to freight cars carrying such cargo, phased in over four years: for the first year after enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, cars produced in the prior 2 years must comply; the second year, cars from the prior 5 years; the third year, cars from the prior 10 years; the fourth year, cars from the prior 15 years; and after four years, all such cars must comply. Subsection (e) provides an exception if the railcar is used for clandestine purposes reasonably believed unknown to a country of concern, or if the owner was not notified in advance of the cargo.