Sponsors (29)
The bill modernizes U.S. maritime jurisdiction language to align with international law, improving enforcement clarity and cooperation but expanding the reach of customs authority—creating higher compliance costs for maritime operators and some risk of transitional litigation and agency administrative costs.
Federal customs, coast guard, and other maritime law‑enforcement agencies can apply modern, internationally consistent maritime limits (territorial sea and contiguous zone), clarifying when inspections and seizures are lawful and improving cross‑border cooperation with foreign authorities.
Businesses, shippers, and mariners gain clearer legal boundaries for when U.S. customs rules apply near the coast, reducing regulatory uncertainty for maritime commerce.
Maritime operators and shippers may face broader customs and anti‑smuggling enforcement in the contiguous zone, increasing compliance costs and potential delays for affected voyages and shipments.
State and local governments, coastal stakeholders, and private parties could face transitional ambiguity and litigation over how baselines and jurisdictional reach are defined under the new, international‑law‑based language.
Federal agencies and their contractors will incur modest administrative costs to update guidance, training, and procedures to reflect the new statutory wording.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 12, 2025 by Maria Elvira Salazar · Last progress February 12, 2025
Redefines the term “customs waters” in two federal statutes by replacing the old phrase “the waters within four leagues of the coast of the United States” with a definition based on the U.S. territorial sea and the U.S. contiguous zone, measured from baselines in accordance with international law and relevant presidential proclamations. One short provision also provides a short title for the Act. The statutory changes take effect the day after enactment and do not appropriate funds or create new programs.