# 119-s-5294: Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026

119-s-5294, Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (R-IA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5294
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5294
- Congress: 119
- Title: Keeping China Off the Rails Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-08-06
- Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (R-IA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Would phase in DoD-specific manufacturing and content standards for freight cars that carry Department of Defense cargo.** The bill would carve out a separate, time‑phased compliance schedule tied to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 rather than applying the full set of general freight‑car rules to DoD shipments immediately. - Rail shipments arranged for the Armed Forces: Would be governed by a DoD-only regime that applies selected statutory requirements and then expands which car production vintages must comply across a multi‑year, stepped schedule tied to enactment. This creates a staged path to full coverage over four years. - Freight car owners, manufacturers, and rail carriers: Would face compliance based on a car's production date instead of across-the-board application. That changes when specific cars must meet U.S. manufacturing and content conditions. - Operational exceptions and technical fix: Would exempt clandestine DoD movements and cars when owners lack advance notice. The bill also corrects the name of the Association of American Railroads' Umler system.

## Provisions PRIA read

- New DoD rules for rail cars: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would create a DoD-specific definition of "Department of Defense cargo" as goods moved by a rail carrier for or on behalf of the Armed Forces. For rail cars carrying DoD cargo, only two of the usual car-content and manufacturing requirements (subparagraphs A and B of the curren…

## Related bills

- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-3971: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
- 119-s-2355: Patients Deserve Price Tags Act
- 119-s-1922: FIREARM Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5294 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5294)

## Related
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-3971: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3971)
- [119-s-2355: Patients Deserve Price Tags Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2355)
- [119-s-1922: FIREARM Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1922)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5294 (as of 2026-09-10).