CHARGE Act

This bill, known as the CHARGE Act, seeks to safeguard the United States' energy grid by prohibiting the importation of specific energy storage systems. It targets systems manufactured by entities within the People's Republic of China (PRC) or under the control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that possess remote monitoring capabilities , which are deemed a significant national security risk. Congress finds that such capabilities could grant the PRC unfiltered access to and the ability to interfere with critical U.S. infrastructure. The legislation mandates U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue regulations within 60 days to identify and enforce this import prohibition, with annual reviews for potential additional restrictions. Violators face severe penalties, including up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine per shipment. Furthermore, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretaries of Energy and Homeland Security, must submit annual reports for six years on PRC-developed energy storage systems with remote monitoring capabilities present in the U.S.