Sponsors (40)
Directs DHS/Treasury/State to list foreign ports seized from U.S. persons and bars vessels tied to those sites from U.S. ports; expands Section 301 to cover expropriation and related treatment.
Official title: To take measures with respect to certain property that is nationalized or expropriated by certain foreign governments, to amend section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to include expropriation of the assets of United States persons in acts, policies, and practices of foreign countries that are unreasonable or discriminatory, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 21, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress July 21, 2025
The bill strengthens U.S. leverage and deterrence against foreign expropriation and discrimination (through port designations, service bans, transparency, and expanded Section 301 tools) but does so at the cost of higher trade frictions, potential supply‑chain and consumer-cost impacts, harm to some U.S. maritime businesses, and diplomatic/legal uncertainty.
Importers, carriers, and U.S. taxpayers face reduced exposure to goods routed through foreign ports that have been seized or expropriated, because imports and U.S. servicing/docking of vessels tied to those ports can be blocked or banned.
State governments, carriers, importers, and Congress gain clearer, timely information about risky foreign port facilities through a required public listing within 60 days, increasing transparency for supply-chain and policy decisions.
U.S. exporters, investors, and taxpayers gain stronger, clearer grounds for Section 301 trade actions when foreign governments seize or unfairly treat U.S. assets, giving the U.S. Trade Representative expanded tools to impose remedies or sanctions and deter future misconduct.
Consumers, taxpayers, and many businesses could face higher import costs and disrupted supply chains if commonly used foreign ports are designated or if trade enforcement actions increase.
U.S. shipyards and maritime service providers (repair, refueling, victualing) could lose business from vessels barred from U.S. ports, harming small maritime firms and transportation-sector workers.
Passenger travel could be disrupted if cruise ships or other passenger vessels that call at designated foreign ports are denied docking or passenger disembarkation in U.S. ports.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Departments of Homeland Security, Treasury, and State to identify ports, harbors, or marine terminals in Western Hemisphere free-trade-partner countries that have become controlled by a foreign government after seizing land owned or controlled by a U.S. person, and to publish that list within 60 days. It directs the President to bar vessels loaded at or previously held at any listed location from importing goods, discharging passengers, or receiving servicing in the United States. Also amends the Trade Act to add expropriation, arbitrary or capricious treatment, denial of due process, and nationality-based discrimination against U.S. persons' assets as explicit categories that may trigger Section 301 trade actions by the U.S. Trade Representative, thereby broadening grounds for tariffs or other trade remedies.