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Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act
To enable passenger vessels that were not built in the United States to receive coastwise endorsement, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill amends federal maritime law to allow foreign-built passenger vessels to receive coastwise endorsement, which permits them to transport passengers between U.S. ports. Currently, coastwise endorsement is generally restricted to U.S.-built vessels operating in domestic commerce. The bill adds a new category allowing passenger vessels that transport people between U.S. ports covered by coastwise laws to qualify for endorsement, whether they operate directly between U.S. ports or travel via foreign ports. The bill repeals a conflicting provision and clarifies that these vessels remain subject to all other applicable U.S. laws.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (R-UT)
Actions (2)
- Jul 30, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Jul 30, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2025
Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To enable passenger vessels that were not built in the United States to receive coastwise endorsement, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act”.
SEC. 2. COASTWISE ENDORSEMENT FOR PASSENGER VESSELS.
(a) In General.—Section 12112(a)(2)(B) of title 46, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in clause (ii), by striking “; or” and inserting a semicolon;
(2) in clause (iii), by striking “; and” and inserting “; or”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(iv) is a vessel that transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port; and”.
(b) Conforming Amendment.—Section 12121 of title 46, United States Code, is repealed.
(c) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in the amendments made by this section shall be construed to exempt a vessel that transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port, from any applicable law of the United States except as explicitly provided in such amendments. <all>
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