YourVoice.Now Summary
Corporate BenefitsWorkers & JobsLittle effect on daily life — the President could shut certain ships out of U.S. ports if a trade partner seizes American port property.
Corporate Benefits
If a Western Hemisphere trade partner takes over a port owned by an American, the President could single that port out. Ships that stop there could then be kept out of U.S. ports.
The American who owns the land giving the only way in to that port can authorize a ship to use it. Ships with that permission are not covered by the ban.
A ship that stops at a singled-out foreign port could be barred from U.S. waters and from unloading cargo here. That holds even if the ship's owner had nothing to do with the seizure.
The block covers actions short of an outright takeover — steps that have the same effect. If such a case already sits with an outside panel under the trade deal, the President could not act.
Workers & Jobs
A ship that is otherwise banned could still enter a U.S. port during an emergency. That covers trouble with the ship itself or a person on board, such as a medical crisis.
More about this bill
Most people would notice no change in daily life. This is a shipping rule aimed at one narrow situation overseas. The House passed it in March 2026. The Senate has not acted on it. Some countries in the Western Hemisphere have free trade deals with the United States. Say one of those governments seizes a port owned by an American. The President could then block ships that stop there from entering U.S. waters or unloading cargo here. The ban would have to end once the country returns the property or pays its full value. Ships could still come in during an emergency, such as a sick crew member. The American owner could also clear specific ships to use the port.
Congressional Summary
This bill authorizes the President to prohibit the entry of a vessel into the United States if the vessel has transited any U.S. port, harbor, or marine terminal that has been nationalized or expropriated (e.g., seized) by a Western Hemisphere country that has a free trade agreement with the United States. Under the bill, the President may prohibit the entry and operation of a vessel if it has called at any port, harbor, or marine terminal that was owned, held, or controlled by a U.S. entity or individual, but has been nationalized or expropriated by the government of a country that is located in the Western Hemisphere and has a free trade agreement in effect with the United States.The prohibition ends when the President determines that (1) the applicable country has restored ownership of the property that had been nationalized or expropriated, (2) the applicable country has provided mutually acceptable compensation for the nationalized or expropriated property, (3) the conditions for the prohibition are no longer satisfied, or (4) the dispute has been otherwise resolved to the satisfaction of the President. The bill permits certain foreign vessels that are otherwise prohibited from entering the United States under this bill or current law to enter if the vessel is experiencing an emergency (involving the vessel or an individual on the vessel) and in certain instances where access to a covered facility was granted by a U.S. property owner.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Received in the Senate.
- Action Date
- 2026-04-02
- Date Added
- 2026-03-30
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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