I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 529 

To extend the customs waters of the United States from 12 nautical miles 

to 24 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States, consistent 

with Presidential Proclamation 7219. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 25, 2023 

Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Ms. SALAZAR, and Mr. MAST) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways 

and Means 

A BILL 

To extend the customs waters of the United States from 

12 nautical miles to 24 nautical miles from the baselines 

of the United States, consistent with Presidential Proclamation 7219. 

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 ‘‘Extending Limits of 

5 U.S. Customs Waters Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF CUSTOMS WATERS. 

7 (a) TARIFF ACT OF 1930.—Section 401(j) of the 

8 Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1401(j)) is amended— 


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•HR 529 IH

1 (1) by striking ‘‘means, in the case’’ and insert2 ing the following: ‘‘means— 

3 ‘‘(1) in the case’’; 

4 (2) by striking ‘‘of the coast of the United 

5 States’’ the first place it appears and inserting 

6 ‘‘from the baselines of the United States (deter7 mined in accordance with international law)’’; 

8 (3) by striking ‘‘and, in the case’’ and inserting 

9 the following: ‘‘; and 

10 ‘‘(2) in the case’’; and 

11 (4) by striking ‘‘the waters within four leagues 

12 of the coast of the United States.’’ and inserting the 

13 following: ‘‘the waters within— 

14 ‘‘(A) the territorial sea of the United 

15 States, to the limits permitted by international 

16 law in accordance with Presidential Proclama17 tion 5928 of December 27, 1988; and 

18 ‘‘(B) the contiguous zone of the United 

19 States, to the limits permitted by international 

20 law in accordance with Presidential Proclama21 tion 7219 of September 2, 1999.’’. 

22 (b) ANTI-SMUGGLING ACT.—Section 401(c) of the 

23 Anti-Smuggling Act (19 U.S.C. 1709(c)) is amended— 

24 (1) by striking ‘‘means, in the case’’ and insert25 ing the following: ‘‘means— 


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•HR 529 IH

1 ‘‘(1) in the case’’; 

2 (2) by striking ‘‘of the coast of the United 

3 States’’ the first place it appears and inserting 

4 ‘‘from the baselines of the United States (deter5 mined in accordance with international law)’’; 

6 (3) by striking ‘‘and, in the case’’ and inserting 

7 the following: ‘‘; and 

8 ‘‘(2) in the case’’; and 

9 (4) by striking ‘‘the waters within four leagues 

10 of the coast of the United States.’’ and inserting the 

11 following: ‘‘the waters within— 

12 ‘‘(A) the territorial sea of the United 

13 States, to the limits permitted by international 

14 law in accordance with Presidential Proclama15 tion 5928 of December 27, 1988; and 

16 ‘‘(B) the contiguous zone of the United 

17 States, to the limits permitted by international 

18 law in accordance with Presidential Proclama19 tion 7219 of September 2, 1999.’’. 

20 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

21 this section shall take effect on the day after the date of 

22 the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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