American Cargo for American Ships Act

Bill: 119-hr-2035
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Introduced: 2025-03-11
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Marine and inland water transportation

Public contracts and procurement
Latest action: action_date: 2025-06-10
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>American Cargo for American Ships Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires 100% of equipment, materials, and commodities procured, furnished, or&nbsp;financed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and transported on ocean vessels to be transported on U.S.-flagged commercial vessels. (Current <em>cargo preference </em>laws require that a minimum percentage&nbsp;of federally financed ocean cargo be transported on U.S.-flagged commercial vessels. For civilian agencies and agricultural cargo, the minimum is generally 50%.)</p><p>Specifically, the bill imposes the requirement on DOT (for cargo it contracts for or procures for itself) and recipients of DOT funding (for cargo DOT has financed with federal funds or advanced funds for the recipient to obtain). As under current cargo preference&nbsp;laws, the requirement applies to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for U.S.-flagged commercial vessels,&nbsp;in a manner that will ensure fair and reasonable participation of U.S.-flagged commercial vessels by geographic area.&nbsp;</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2035 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 10, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cargo for American Ships Act . 2. Cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by United States Government Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a) by striking When the United States Government and inserting Except as provided in subsection (c), when the United States Government ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Exception When the Department of Transportation procures, contracts for, or otherwise obtains for its own account, or provides financing in any way with Federal funds or advances funds or credits, for the furnishing or obtaining of the equipment, materials, or commodities, the Secretary of Transportation or recipient of such financing shall take steps necessary and practicable to ensure that 100 percent of the gross tonnage of the equipment, materials, or commodities (computed separately for dry bulk carriers, dry cargo liners, and tankers) which may be transported on ocean vessels is transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, as provided under subsection (b), to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States, in a manner that will ensure a fair and reasonable participation of commercial vessels of the United States in those cargoes by geographic areas. .

Passed the House of Representatives June 9, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2035 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cargo for American Ships Act . 2. Cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by United States Government Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a) by striking When the United States Government and inserting Except as provided in subsection (c), when the United States Government ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Exception When the Department of Transportation procures, contracts for, or otherwise obtains for its own account, or provides financing in any way with Federal funds or advances funds or credits, for the furnishing or obtaining of the equipment, materials, or commodities, the Secretary of Transportation or recipient of such financing shall take steps necessary and practicable to ensure that 100 percent of the gross tonnage of the equipment, materials, or commodities (computed separately for dry bulk carriers, dry cargo liners, and tankers) which may be transported on ocean vessels is transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, as provided under subsection (b), to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States, in a manner that will ensure a fair and reasonable participation of commercial vessels of the United States in those cargoes by geographic areas. .

Passed the House of Representatives June 9, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 116 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2035 [Report No. 119–147] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Carbajal (for himself and Mr. Ezell ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure June 6, 2025 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed A BILL To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cargo for American Ships Act . 2. Cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by United States Government Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a) by striking When the United States Government and inserting Except as provided in subsection (c), when the United States Government ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Exception When the Department of Transportation procures, contracts for, or otherwise obtains for its own account, or provides financing in any way with Federal funds or advances funds or credits, for the furnishing or obtaining of the equipment, materials, or commodities, the Secretary of Transportation or recipient of such financing shall take steps necessary and practicable to ensure that 100 percent of the gross tonnage of the equipment, materials, or commodities (computed separately for dry bulk carriers, dry cargo liners, and tankers) which may be transported on ocean vessels is transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, as provided under subsection (b), to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States, in a manner that will ensure a fair and reasonable participation of commercial vessels of the United States in those cargoes by geographic areas. .

June 6, 2025 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2035 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Carbajal (for himself and Mr. Ezell ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cargo for American Ships Act . 2. Cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by United States Government Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a) by striking When the United States Government and inserting Except as provided in subsection (c), when the United States Government ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Exception When the Department of Transportation procures, contracts for, or otherwise obtains for its own account, or provides financing in any way with Federal funds or advances funds or credits, for the furnishing or obtaining of the equipment, materials, or commodities, the Secretary of Transportation or recipient of such financing shall take steps necessary and practicable to ensure that 100 percent of the gross tonnage of the equipment, materials, or commodities (computed separately for dry bulk carriers, dry cargo liners, and tankers) which may be transported on ocean vessels is transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, as provided under subsection (b), to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States, in a manner that will ensure a fair and reasonable participation of commercial vessels of the United States in those cargoes by geographic areas. .