HB1167, titled the Keep China Out of Solar Energy Act of 2025, would direct the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the General Services Administration, to create standards barring executive agencies from using federal funds, including contracts, subcontracts, grants, subgrants, and government purchase cards, to procure solar panels manufactured or assembled by covered entities tied to the People’s Republic of China. It also requires the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to carry out the procurement ban for federal contracts and subcontracts.
The bill defines covered entities broadly to include entities domiciled in China or otherwise subject to influence or control by the Chinese government or Communist Party, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security. It includes a waiver process for cases where the covered entity is the only viable source, but any waiver must be jointly approved by the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, with quarterly reporting to Congress on waiver requests. The bill also requires a Comptroller General report on federal solar panel procurement from covered entities and an independent study of the domestic solar market, technological capacity, and global supply chain and workforce issues.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new federal procurement restriction affecting executive agencies and federal contractors by limiting purchases of crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar panels linked to China. It would require changes to federal acquisition rules, create a waiver and reporting framework, and trigger oversight reports and a market study. The practical effect would be to steer federal solar procurement away from Chinese-linked suppliers and potentially increase demand for domestic or non-covered foreign sources.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s title, structure, and referral history, the measure appears to be framed as a national security and supply-chain security proposal rather than a bipartisan compromise measure. No committee transcripts or votes are available, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader support or opposition. The available context suggests the bill was introduced and referred to committee without further documented action in the materials provided.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the scope of the procurement ban, especially the broad definition of covered entities and the effect on federal solar purchasing options. Supporters would likely emphasize reducing dependence on Chinese supply chains and protecting federal procurement from foreign influence, while critics may argue the bill could raise costs, limit available suppliers, and slow federal clean-energy deployment. The waiver provision suggests an acknowledgment that Chinese-linked suppliers may sometimes be the only viable source, which could also be a focal point in debate over flexibility versus restriction.