WASHINGTON, DC – While Ford Motor Company announced on September 25 that it has paused its partnership with a Chinese battery maker, lawmakers continue to have serious concerns that Ford has refused to comply with three separate congressional inquiries into its secret licensing agreement with CATL, a Chinese Communist Party-aligned EV battery firm.

As first reported by Reuters, Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) of the House Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee jointly wrote to Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley seeking Ford’s immediate compliance with congressional investigations into its partnership with CATL.

The lawmakers warned the Ford CEO that a persistent refusal to comply could result in the initiation of a compulsory process or notification to appear before Congress.

In the letter, the lawmakers jointly write, “Ford’s ongoing refusal to provide substantive responses addressing the serious issues discussed in the April, July, and September letters undermines Ford’s own commitment to ‘act with transparency, integrity, and honesty’ and raises serious concerns regarding its licensing agreement with CATL.

“We write again today to seek a fully responsive production on the licensing agreement, Ford’s knowledge of CATL’s apparent attempt to shield its connection to Xinjiang-based companies, and Ford’s commitment to advance U.S. battery production.

“If Ford does not comply fully with all of the Committees’ July 20, 2023, document requests and the September 1, 2023, Energy and Commerce document request by no later than October 6, 2023, we will consider other means to obtain the documents, including compulsory process or insisting that you appear before Congress to publicly explain your failure to comply.”

In April, July, and September subsequently, the lawmakers each sought information from Ford regarding its licensing agreement with CCP-aligned battery maker CATL, including but not limited to:

• A copy of Ford’s licensing agreement with CATL in both English and Chinese.
• Ford’s knowledge of CATL’s connections to CCP forced labor and human rights abuses.
• Ford’s knowledge of CATL’s attempts to shield its connections to Xinjiang-based companies that are banned from exporting product to the U.S.
• Ford’s intention to import Chinese employees to take well-paying U.S. jobs.
• Ford’s discussions with the Biden administration regarding its CATL partnership and EV tax credits.

Gallagher, Smith, and Rodgers requested that Ford provide adequate responses to this most recent inquiry no later than October 6.

The lawmakers concluded by jointly issuing Ford a document preservation notice regarding its deal with the Chinese owned and CCP-aligned company, CATL.

Click HERE to view a copy of the letter or read below.

READ: Automaker’s Troubling Deal with Chinese Company Raises Questions About Democrats’ Electric Vehicle Tax Credits

READ: Smith, Gallagher Demand Answers on Ford’s Chinese Battery Partnership

READ: E&C Republicans Press Ford for Information on Planned EV Battery Plant with Ties to China

READ: Chairman Smith Warns Treasury Must Act Immediately to Stop Tax Dollars from Flowing to China, Demands Automakers Provide Details on Foreign Partnerships