I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7084 
To amend title 46, United States Code, with respect to the types of vessels 
that may enter or operate in navigable waters of the United States 
or transfer cargo in any port or place under the jurisdiction of the 
United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 15, 2026 
Mr. PFLUGER (for himself, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. MANN, and Mr. 
EDWARDS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 46, United States Code, with respect to 
the types of vessels that may enter or operate in navi-
gable waters of the United States or transfer cargo in 
any port or place under the jurisdiction of the United 
States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Defending American 
Property Abroad Act of 2026’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONDITION FOR ENTRY INTO PORTS IN THE 
UNITED STATES. 
Section 70022 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(A)— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(1)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1)(A)’’; and 
(ii) in subclause (II) by striking ‘‘; or’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in clause (ii)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1)(B)’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) vessel described in subsection 
(b)(1) in the case of— 
‘‘(I) an emergency being experi-
enced by a vessel or an individual on 
the vessel; or 
‘‘(II) a vessel authorized by the 
owner, as described in subsection 
(b)(1)(C)(ii), to transit the facilities 
described in subsection (b)(1)(C).’’; 
and 
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(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘the’’ 
before ‘‘Federal Register’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B); 
(D) by striking ‘‘A vessel referred’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A vessel referred’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) a vessel that has transited a port, 
harbor, or marine terminal, that at the time of 
such transit— 
‘‘(i) was located within the territory of 
a Western Hemisphere country that has in 
effect a free trade agreement with the 
United States; 
‘‘(ii) was accessible only through land 
that is owned, held, or controlled, directly 
or indirectly, by a United States person; 
and 
‘‘(iii) was designated by the President 
under paragraph (2), and has not had such 
designation removed under paragraph (3). 
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‘‘(2) DESIGNATION.—The President may des-
ignate a port, harbor, or marine terminal under this 
subsection if an agency or official of the government 
of the Western Hemisphere foreign trade partner 
has— 
‘‘(A) nationalized, or expropriated the port, 
harbor, or marine terminal, owned, held, or con-
trolled, directly or indirectly, by a United States 
person; or 
‘‘(B) taken any other action that has the 
effect of expropriating or nationalizing that 
port, harbor, or marine terminal, or land pro-
viding the exclusive access to that port, harbor, 
or marine terminal, as described in paragraph 
(1)(C)(ii), as long as the matter is not the sub-
ject of a currently pending arbitration under a 
free trade agreement described in paragraph 
(1)(C)(i). 
‘‘(3) REMOVAL OF DESIGNATION.—The Presi-
dent shall remove the designation of a port, harbor, 
or marine terminal made under paragraph (2) if the 
President determines that— 
‘‘(A) the conditions set forth in paragraph 
(2) are no longer met; 
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