1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Petition: Let American Drivers Choose — Oppose the Connected Vehicle Security Act's Blanket Ban on Chinese Vehicle Competition To: Members of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives For decades, the "Detroit Three" and their peers have enjoyed a market largely insulated from serious low-cost competition. The result: vehicle prices have climbed far faster than wages, quality and reliability have lagged global leaders, and EV innovation has trailed China's BYD, Geely, and others by years. Meanwhile, executive compensation at these same companies has continued to rise even as consumer complaints about pricing, defects, and stagnant innovation mount. Senators Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) have introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, which would ban the import, sale, and operation of vehicles manufactured in China, along with Chinese-linked software, data systems, and hardware. The bill has drawn support from labor unions, major automakers, and trade groups across the industry — the very companies and interest groups that benefit financially from keeping a lower-cost competitor out of the U.S. market entirely. Senator Bernie MorenoSenator Elissa Slotkin We, the undersigned, ask Congress to: Separate legitimate data-security regulation from blanket protectionism. Specific, narrowly tailored rules on data collection, connectivity, and remote-access risks are reasonable. A wholesale ban on all Chinese-made vehicles — including models with no connected-tech component — is not a security policy, it's a trade barrier dressed up as one. Require economic transparency. Before enacting a ban that will raise prices and limit choice for consumers, Congress should require public disclosure of how much lobbying money and campaign support flows from automakers and their trade associations to legislators supporting this bill. Let competition, not legislation, drive quality. American automakers have had decades of tariff and regulatory protection. If they still can't compete on price or innovation, the answer is a more competitive market — not another layer of protection for underperforming incumbents. Protect consumer choice. Americans are struggling with high vehicle prices. Blocking access to lower-cost alternatives — while the security rationale remains largely unproven for many components — puts industry profits ahead of household budgets. We are not opposed to genuine, evidence-based cybersecurity standards for connected vehicles. We are opposed to using national security as a blanket justification to insulate a handful of politically powerful companies from competition that could benefit millions of American consumers.