Car giants tell Congress: ban Chinese vehicles for good

A lobbying group for nearly every big carmaker is turning up the heat on Washington. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation pressed US lawmakers on Monday to lock in a permanent ban on Chinese vehicles once they return for a brief post-midterm session next week.

The group's president and CEO, John Bozzella, didn't soften the ask. He warned that the US market faces a flood of Chinese imports carrying surveillance risk, and said those imports would undercut manufacturers who have made generational investments in American communities.

The push isn't new. In September, the Senate sponsors behind the bipartisan effort agreed to hold off on fast-tracking the measure until November — a delay that set up this exact moment.

The alliance's membership reads like a global auto show floor: General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen are among the names it represents, along with most other major automakers. That breadth gives the letter weight — this is not one company griping, it's the industry showing up as a bloc.

Lawmakers come back for a short session after the midterm congressional elections, and the window is tight. Whether the ban gets fast-tracked or stalls again is now the question hanging over Detroit, Wolfsburg and Tokyo alike.

For now, the industry has planted its flag: permanent ban, no half measures. Congress gets its chance to answer when the gavel drops next week.