WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security is opening a probe into national security impacts of imports of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks and related parts into the United States.
According to the Federal Register, on April 22 the Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, and medium- and heavy-duty truck parts and their derivative products.
“This investigation has been initiated under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (Section 232). Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other information pertinent to the investigation to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security,” the Register said. “This notice identifies issues on which the Department is especially interested in obtaining the public’s views.”
Request for Public Comments
Comments may be submitted at any time but must be received by May 16. Comments on this notice may be submitted to the Federal rulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov. The ID for this notice is BIS-2025-0024. Please refer to XRIN 0694-XC125 in all comments.
This investigation is being undertaken in accordance with part 705 of the National Security Industrial Base Regulations (15 CFR parts 700 to 709) (NSIBR). Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, analyses, or information pertinent to this investigation to BIS’s Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security no later than May 16. The Department is particularly interested in comments and information directed at the criteria listed in § 705.4 of the regulations as they affect national security, including the following:
- The current and projected demand for trucks and truck parts in the United States.
- The extent to which domestic production of trucks and truck parts can meet domestic demand.
- The role of foreign supply chains, particularly of major exporters, in meeting United States demand for trucks and truck parts.
- The concentration of United States imports of trucks and truck parts from a small number of suppliers and the associated risks.
- The impact of foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices on the competitiveness of the medium- and heavy-duty truck industry in the United States.
- The economic impact of artificially suppressed prices of trucks and truck parts due to foreign unfair trade practices and state-sponsored overproduction.
- The potential for export restrictions by foreign nations, including the ability of foreign nations to weaponize their control over supplies of trucks and truck parts.
- The feasibility of increasing domestic capacity for trucks and truck parts to reduce import reliance.
- The impact of current trade policies on domestic production of trucks and truck parts, and whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security.
- Any other relevant factors.
Background
The term “medium-duty trucks” means trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 and under 26,001 pounds. The term “heavy-duty trucks” means trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. For the purposes of this investigation, trucks are motor vehicles for the transport of goods. The term “medium- and heavy-duty truck parts” refers to the individual components and systems of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, including engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components. Hereafter, “medium-duty trucks,” heavy-duty trucks,” and “medium- and heavy-duty truck parts” shall be referred to collectively as “trucks and truck parts.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
