Senate Passes Cornyn, Heinrich Bill to Confront Security Risks from Chinese Cranes at U.S. Ports

U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) released the following statements after their Cranes of Concern at our Ports (CCP) Act, which would require the federal government to evaluate threats to U.S. ports posed by cranes manufactured in countries of concern, especially those made by China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC), passed the Senate as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act included in the National Defense Authorization Act:

“America’s ports are vital to our economy, national security, and international trade, and we must ensure they’re protected from possible Chinese surveillance or interference,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill would require the federal government to confront this growing threat and assess the risks of Chinese-made cranes at ports in Texas and along our coasts, and I’m grateful to my colleagues for their support.”

“Whether it’s your stock of canned goods or toilet paper, making sure supplies are moving efficiently through our ports matters,” said Sen. Heinrich. “This bipartisan legislation will give our intelligence and defense community the resources they need to make sure our ports can keep delivering the goods you rely on at the store.” 

Background:

Chinese-made cranes operating at American ports across the country, including at several used by the military, have the capability to give Beijing opportunities to spy on and disrupt U.S. port operations. The CCP Act would require the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Defense to conduct an assessment of the threats posed by cranes manufactured by countries of concern and commercial entities of those countries, including those manufactured by ZPMC, to U.S. ports. These evaluations would examine the potential to collect intelligence, disrupt operations, and impact national security.