Sen. Pennacchio urges State Department review of E-ZPass contract over security concerns
TRENTON, N.J. — State Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) has called on the U.S. State Department to review a $1.7 billion E-ZPass contract awarded to TransCore, citing national security concerns over the company’s ties to Singapore-based Temasek Holdings and its alleged links to China.
In a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 27, 2025, Pennacchio raised concerns about Temasek’s business relations with China and its former board member Fu Chengyu, a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official with ties to China’s United Front. Pennacchio warned that foreign influence within Temasek could pose a risk to sensitive data collected by the E-ZPass system, including financial records and travel patterns.
“The E-ZPass system collects vast amounts of personal information,” Pennacchio wrote, citing former U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli, who described the potential security threat as greater than TikTok.
Pennacchio also criticized the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) for a lack of transparency in the bidding process, claiming the deal with TransCore was “shrouded in secrecy.”
The senator urged the State Department to investigate the contract and take necessary steps to safeguard U.S. infrastructure and citizens’ data.
The full letter is here:
The Honorable
Marco Rubio
The Secretary of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I would first like to congratulate you on your recent confirmation to serve as our Secretary of State. I, along with this nation, will continue to pray for your efforts and our country’s success.
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the decision by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to award a $1.7 billion E-ZPass contract to TransCore, a company owned by Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering). As you may be aware, the parent company of ST Engineering and TransCore is Temasek Holdings, which has alleged ties to China and the Communist Party.
Temasek Holdings is wholly owned by the government of Singapore and maintains significant business relations with China. Notably, until recently, a former member of Temasek’s board of directors, Fu Chengyu, was a high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with connections to China’s United Front, an influencer group. Although he recently stepped down from Temasek’s board, his continued influence with the company on China-related matters raises concerns about potential foreign access to sensitive data.
The E-ZPass system collects vast amounts of personal information, including financial records and travel patterns. Recently, former United States Senator Robert Torricelli emphasized the gravity of this issue, stating that the potential for monitoring transportation patterns and sensitive cargo poses a greater security risk than TikTok.
Additionally, there have been reports suggesting that the NJTA’s deal with TransCore was opaque and “shrouded in secrecy,” given that there was virtually no public disclosure about the bidding process. The lack of transparency from the NJTA, along with TransCore’s alleged connections to China, undermines public trust and raises questions about the integrity of the bidding process.
It is worrisome that we would allow any business with ties to a foreign adversary to manage our tolling systems. Given these concerns, I believe it is appropriate for the State Department to review this contract more closely and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that our state and national infrastructure, as well as citizens’ data, are protected from foreign surveillance and interference.