S. 1577

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend section 1151 of title 14, United States Code, to modify the restriction on construction of Coast Guard vessels in foreign shipyards.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES · May 1, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Murkowski · Committee: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Table of contents

• S. 1577
  • SEC. 1. Modification of restriction on construction of vessels in foreign shipyards

SEC. 1. Modification of restriction on construction of vessels in foreign shipyards

• Section 1151 of title 14, United States Code, is amended—
  • in subsection (a), by striking and inserting the following:
    • (a) In general
      • Except
    • (b) Exceptions
      • (1) National security interest
        • National security interest
        • (A) In general
          • The President may authorize exceptions to the prohibition in subsection (a) when the President determines that it is in the national security interest of the United States to do so.
        • (B) Notification
          • The President shall transmit notice to Congress of any such determination, and no contract may be made pursuant to the exception authorized until the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date the notice of such determination is received by Congress.
        • (C) Certification
          • The President may only authorize an exception under this paragraph if the President, in coordination with the Commandant, has certified to Congress that—
            • (i) the foreign shipyard concerned is—
            • a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; or
            • party to an active United States defense treaty in the Indo-Pacific region;
            • (ii) the cost to the United States Government of using such foreign shipyard for construction described in subsection (a) is less than the cost to the United States Government of using a domestic shipyard for such construction;
            • (iii) the timeline for the design, construction, and delivery of a vessel or major component described in subsection (a) from a domestic shipyard is more than 18 months later than the timeline for the design, construction, and delivery of such vessel or major component from such foreign shipyard; and
            • (iv) during the 5-year period ending on the date on which the certification is submitted, the foreign shipyard concerned has demonstrated the capacity to design, construct, and deliver a vessel capable of performing the missions specified in section 888(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ()— 8 U.S.C. 468(a)
            • at a cost to the United States Government that is less than the cost of using a domestic shipyard; and
            • within a timeline for design, construction, and delivery that is less than 18 months later than such a timeline from a domestic shipyard.
      • (2) Acquisition of completed vessel
        • The Secretary may acquire from a foreign shipyard a completed vessel if—
          • the foreign shipyard is—
            • (i) a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; or
            • (ii) party to an active United States defense treaty in the Indo-Pacific region; and
          • the government of the country in which the foreign shipyard is located enters into a warranty agreement with the United States Government with respect to such vessel.
  • by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: