I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6724 

To require a certain percentage of natural gas and crude oil exports be 

transported on United States-built and United States-flag vessels, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 12, 2023 

Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for 

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require a certain percentage of natural gas and crude 

oil exports be transported on United States-built and 

United States-flag vessels, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energizing American 

5 Shipbuilding Act of 2023’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NATIONAL POLICY ON STRATEGIC ENERGY ASSET 

2 EXPORT TRANSPORTATION. 

3 (a) LNG EXPORTS.— 

4 (1) REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF

5 EXPORTS OF NATURAL GAS ON VESSELS DOCU6 MENTED UNDER LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.— 

7 Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) 

8 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

9 ‘‘(g) TRANSPORTATION OF EXPORTS OF NATURAL

10 GAS ON VESSELS DOCUMENTED UNDER LAWS OF THE

11 UNITED STATES.— 

12 ‘‘(1) CONDITION FOR APPROVAL.—Except as 

13 provided in paragraph (7), with respect to an appli14 cation to export natural gas under subsection (a), 

15 the Commission shall include in the order issued for 

16 that application the condition that the person trans17 port the natural gas on a vessel that meets the re18 quirements described in paragraph (3). 

19 ‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the require20 ment under paragraph (1) is to ensure that, of all 

21 natural gas exported by vessel in a calendar year, 

22 the following percentage is exported by a vessel that 

23 meets the requirements described in paragraph (3): 

24 ‘‘(A) In each of the 7 calendar years fol25 lowing the calendar year in which this sub26 section is enacted, not less than 2 percent. 


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1 ‘‘(B) In each of the 8th and 9th calendar 

2 years following the calendar year in which this 

3 subsection is enacted, not less than 3 percent. 

4 ‘‘(C) In each of the 10th and 11th cal5 endar years following the calendar year in 

6 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

7 4 percent. 

8 ‘‘(D) In each of the 12th and 13th cal9 endar years following the calendar year in 

10 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

11 6 percent. 

12 ‘‘(E) In each of the 14th and 15th cal13 endar years following the calendar year in 

14 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

15 7 percent. 

16 ‘‘(F) In each of the 16th and 17th cal17 endar years following the calendar year in 

18 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

19 9 percent. 

20 ‘‘(G) In each of the 18th and 19th cal21 endar years following the calendar year in 

22 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

23 11 percent. 

24 ‘‘(H) In each of the 20th and 21st cal25 endar years following the calendar year in 


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1 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

2 13 percent. 

3 ‘‘(I) In the 22nd calendar year after the 

4 calendar year in which this subsection is en5 acted and each calendar year thereafter, not 

6 less than 15 percent. 

7 ‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS.—A vessel 

8 meets the requirements described in this para9 graph— 

10 ‘‘(A) with respect to each of the 5 calendar 

11 years following the calendar year in which this 

12 subsection is enacted— 

13 ‘‘(i) if— 

14 ‘‘(I) the vessel is documented 

15 under the laws of the United States; 

16 and 

17 ‘‘(II) with respect to any retrofit 

18 work necessary for the vessel to ex19 port natural gas— 

20 ‘‘(aa) such work is done in a 

21 shipyard in the United States; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(bb) any component of the 

24 vessel listed in paragraph (4) 

25 that is installed during the 


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1 course of such work is manufac2 tured in the United States; or 

3 ‘‘(ii) if— 

4 ‘‘(I) the vessel is built in the 

5 United States; 

6 ‘‘(II) the vessel is documented 

7 under the laws of the United States; 

8 ‘‘(III) all major components of 

9 the hull or superstructure of the ves10 sel are manufactured (including all 

11 manufacturing processes from the ini12 tial melting stage through the applica13 tion of coatings for iron or steel prod14 ucts) in the United States; and 

15 ‘‘(IV) the components of the ves16 sel listed in paragraph (4) are manu17 factured in the United States; and 

18 ‘‘(B) with respect to the 6th calendar year 

19 following the calendar year in which this sub20 section is enacted, and each calendar year 

21 thereafter, if the vessel meets the requirements 

22 of subparagraph (A)(ii). 

23 ‘‘(4) COMPONENTS.—The components of a ves24 sel listed in this paragraph are the following: 

25 ‘‘(A) Air circuit breakers. 


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1 ‘‘(B) Welded shipboard anchor and moor2 ing chain. 

3 ‘‘(C) Powered and non-powered valves in 

4 Federal Supply Classes 4810 and 4820 used in 

5 piping. 

6 ‘‘(D) Machine tools in the Federal Supply 

7 Classes for metal-working machinery numbered 

8 3405, 3408, 3410 through 3419, 3426, 3433, 

9 3438, 3441 through 3443, 3445, 3446, 3448, 

10 3449, 3460, and 3461. 

11 ‘‘(E) Auxiliary equipment for shipboard 

12 services, including pumps. 

13 ‘‘(F) Propulsion equipment, including en14 gines, propulsion motors, reduction gears, and 

15 propellers. 

16 ‘‘(G) Shipboard cranes. 

17 ‘‘(H) Spreaders for shipboard cranes. 

18 ‘‘(I) Rotating electrical equipment, includ19 ing electrical alternators and motors. 

20 ‘‘(J) Compressors, pumps, and heat ex21 changers used in managing and re-liquefying 

22 boil-off gas from liquefied natural gas. 

23 ‘‘(5) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Commission 

24 may waive the requirement under clause (i)(II)(bb) 

25 or (ii)(IV), as applicable, of paragraph (3)(A) with 


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1 respect to a component of a vessel if the Maritime 

2 Administrator determines that— 

3 ‘‘(A) application of the requirement 

4 would— 

5 ‘‘(i) result in an increase of 25 per6 cent or more in the cost of the component 

7 of the vessel; or 

8 ‘‘(ii) cause unreasonable delays to be 

9 incurred in building or retrofitting the ves10 sel; or 

11 ‘‘(B) such component is not manufactured 

12 in the United States in sufficient and reason13 ably available quantities of a satisfactory qual14 ity. 

15 ‘‘(6) OPPORTUNITIES FOR LICENSED AND UNLI16 CENSED MARINERS.—Except as provided in para17 graph (7), the Commission shall include, in any 

18 order issued under subsection (a) that authorizes a 

19 person to export natural gas, a condition that the 

20 person provide opportunities for United States li21 censed and unlicensed mariners to receive experience 

22 and training necessary to become credentialed in 

23 working on a vessel transporting natural gas. 

24 ‘‘(7) EXCEPTION.—The Commission may not 

25 include in any order issued under subsection (a) auVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:54 Feb 09, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6724.IH H6724

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1 thorizing a person to export natural gas to a nation 

2 with which there is in effect a free trade agreement 

3 requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas 

4 a condition described in paragraph (1), or a condi5 tion described in paragraph (6), if the United States 

6 Trade Representative certifies to the Commission, in 

7 writing, that such condition would violate obligations 

8 of the United States under such free trade agree9 ment. 

10 ‘‘(8) USE OF FEDERAL INFORMATION.—In car11 rying out paragraph (1), the Commission— 

12 ‘‘(A) shall use information made available 

13 by— 

14 ‘‘(i) the Energy Information Adminis15 tration; or 

16 ‘‘(ii) any other Federal agency or enti17 ty the Commission determines appropriate; 

18 and 

19 ‘‘(B) may use information made available 

20 by a private entity only if applicable informa21 tion described in subparagraph (A) is not avail22 able.’’. 

23 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3(c) 

24 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b(c)) is 

25 amended by striking ‘‘or the exportation of natural 


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1 gas’’ and inserting ‘‘or, subject to subsection (g), the 

2 exportation of natural gas’’. 

3 (b) CRUDE OIL.—Section 101 of title I of division 

4 O of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (42 

5 U.S.C. 6212a) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘subsections 

7 (c) and (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (c), (d), and 

8 (f)’’; and 

9 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(f) TRANSPORTATION OF EXPORTS OF CRUDE OIL

11 ON VESSELS DOCUMENTED UNDER LAWS OF THE

12 UNITED STATES.— 

13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para14 graph (6), as a condition to export crude oil, the 

15 President shall require that a person exporting crude 

16 oil transport the crude oil on a vessel that meets the 

17 requirements described in paragraph (3). 

18 ‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the require19 ment under paragraph (1) is to ensure that, of all 

20 crude oil exported by vessel in a calendar year, the 

21 following percentage is exported by a vessel that 

22 meets the requirements described in paragraph (3): 

23 ‘‘(A) In each of the 7 calendar years fol24 lowing the calendar year in which this sub25 section is enacted, not less than 3 percent. 


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1 ‘‘(B) In each of the 8th, 9th, and 10th cal2 endar years following the calendar year in 

3 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

4 6 percent. 

5 ‘‘(C) In each of the 11th, 12th, and 13th 

6 calendar years following the calendar year in 

7 which this subsection is enacted, not less than 

8 8 percent. 

9 ‘‘(D) In the 14th calendar year following 

10 the calendar year in which this subsection is en11 acted and each calendar year thereafter, not 

12 less than 10 percent. 

13 ‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS.—A vessel 

14 meets the requirements described in this para15 graph— 

16 ‘‘(A) with respect to each of the 4 calendar 

17 years following the calendar year in which this 

18 subsection is enacted— 

19 ‘‘(i) if— 

20 ‘‘(I) the vessel is documented 

21 under the laws of the United States; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(II) with respect to any retrofit 

24 work necessary for the vessel to ex25 port crude oil— 


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1 ‘‘(aa) such work is done in a 

2 shipyard in the United States; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(bb) any component of the 

5 vessel listed in paragraph (4) 

6 that is installed during the 

7 course of such work is manufac8 tured in the United States; or 

9 ‘‘(ii) if— 

10 ‘‘(I) the vessel is built in the 

11 United States; 

12 ‘‘(II) the vessel is documented 

13 under the laws of the United States; 

14 ‘‘(III) all major components of 

15 the hull or superstructure of the ves16 sel are manufactured (including all 

17 manufacturing processes from the ini18 tial melting stage through the applica19 tion of coatings for iron or steel prod20 ucts) in the United States; and 

21 ‘‘(IV) the components of the ves22 sel listed in paragraph (4) are manu23 factured in the United States; and 

24 ‘‘(B) with respect to the 5th calendar year 

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1 section is enacted and each calendar year there2 after, if the vessel meets the requirements of 

3 subparagraph (A)(ii). 

4 ‘‘(4) COMPONENTS.—The components of a ves5 sel listed in this paragraph are the following: 

6 ‘‘(A) Air circuit breakers. 

7 ‘‘(B) Welded shipboard anchor and moor8 ing chain. 

9 ‘‘(C) Powered and non-powered valves in 

10 Federal Supply Classes 4810 and 4820 used in 

11 piping. 

12 ‘‘(D) Machine tools in the Federal Supply 

13 Classes for metal-working machinery numbered 

14 3405, 3408, 3410 through 3419, 3426, 3433, 

15 3438, 3441 through 3443, 3445, 3446, 3448, 

16 3449, 3460, and 3461. 

17 ‘‘(E) Auxiliary equipment for shipboard 

18 services, including pumps. 

19 ‘‘(F) Propulsion equipment, including en20 gines, propulsion motors, reduction gears, and 

21 propellers. 

22 ‘‘(G) Shipboard cranes. 

23 ‘‘(H) Spreaders for shipboard cranes. 

24 ‘‘(I) Rotating electrical equipment, includ25 ing electrical alternators and motors. 


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1 ‘‘(5) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The President may 

2 waive the requirement under clause (i)(II)(bb) or 

3 clause (ii)(IV), as applicable, of paragraph (3)(A) 

4 with respect to a component of a vessel if the Mari5 time Administrator determines that— 

6 ‘‘(A) application of the requirement 

7 would— 

8 ‘‘(i) result in an increase of 25 per9 cent or more in the cost of the component 

10 of the vessel; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) cause unreasonable delays to be 

12 incurred in building or retrofitting the ves13 sel; or 

14 ‘‘(B) such component is not manufactured 

15 in the United States in sufficient and reason16 ably available quantities of a satisfactory qual17 ity. 

18 ‘‘(6) EXCEPTION.—The President may not, 

19 under paragraph (1), condition the export of crude 

20 oil to a nation with which there is in effect a free 

21 trade agreement requiring national treatment for 

22 trade in crude oil if the United States Trade Rep23 resentative certifies to the President, in writing, that 

24 such condition would violate obligations of the 

25 United States under such free trade agreement. 


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1 ‘‘(7) OPPORTUNITIES FOR LICENSED AND UNLI2 CENSED MARINERS.—The Maritime Administrator 

3 shall ensure that each exporter of crude oil by vessel 

4 provides opportunities for United States licensed and 

5 unlicensed mariners to receive experience and train6 ing necessary to become credentialed in working on 

7 such vessels. 

8 ‘‘(8) USE OF FEDERAL INFORMATION.—In car9 rying out paragraph (1), the President— 

10 ‘‘(A) shall use information made available 

11 by— 

12 ‘‘(i) the Energy Information Adminis13 tration; or 

14 ‘‘(ii) any other Federal agency or enti15 ty the Commission determines appropriate; 

16 and 

17 ‘‘(B) may use information made available 

18 by a private entity only if applicable informa19 tion described in subparagraph (A) is not avail20 able.’’. 

21 SEC. 3. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION INFOR22 MATION. 

23 The Secretary of Energy, acting through the Admin24 istrator of the Energy Information Administration (re25 ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’), shall collect, 


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1 and make readily available to the public on the internet 

2 website of the Energy Information Administration, infor3 mation on exports by vessel of natural gas and crude oil, 

4 including— 

5 (1) forecasts for, and data on, those exports for 

6 the calendar year following the calendar year in 

7 which this Act is enacted and each calendar year 

8 thereafter; and 

9 (2) forecasts for those exports for multiyear pe10 riods after the date of enactment of this Act, as de11 termined appropriate by the Secretary. 

Æ 


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