Sponsors
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Allows the Coast Guard to issue a coastwise endorsement for any vessel that otherwise qualifies under U.S. law to engage in coastwise trade. The Commandant must publish implementing regulations within 90 days of enactment and require all vessels permitted for coastwise trade to meet appropriate safety and security standards. The bill also updates and cleans up cross-references in title 46, including repealing an existing statute provision.
Amend 46 U.S.C. 12112(a) to read: 'A coastwise endorsement may be issued for a vessel that qualifies under the laws of the United States to engage in the coastwise trade.'
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard must issue regulations to implement the amendment made by subsection (a) and those regulations must require all vessels permitted to engage in the coastwise trade to meet all appropriate safety and security requirements.
Amend 46 U.S.C. 3703a(c)(1)(C) by striking [text not shown in section].
Amend 46 U.S.C. 12120 by striking the remainder of the provision and inserting a period.
Amend 46 U.S.C. 12121(b) by (A) striking [text not shown], and (B) striking [text not shown].
Who is affected and how:
Vessel operators and owners: Most directly affected. If a vessel already meets U.S. law requirements for coastwise trade, its owner may obtain a coastwise endorsement; however, the owner must comply with the Coast Guard's forthcoming safety and security rules. That may require equipment upgrades, crew changes, inspections, or other compliance actions.
U.S. Coast Guard: Must complete rulemaking quickly (90 days) and then oversee enforcement of the new requirements. This raises near-term workload for staff in rule drafting, stakeholder outreach, and enforcement planning.
Ports and terminal operators: May see increased activity if more vessels obtain coastwise endorsements; they will need to coordinate on inspections, berth assignments, and local compliance matters.
Passengers and cargo shippers: Potential indirect effects through improved statutory clarity and safety standards. If the change expands the pool of vessels eligible for coastwise trade, services such as ferry routes or small-scale coastal shipping could change availability and pricing.
Legal/regulatory landscape: The repeal and cross-reference updates to title 46 reduce statutory inconsistency and may reduce legal uncertainty about endorsement eligibility, but the specifics of impact depend on the content of the Coast Guard regulations.
Potential tradeoffs and risks:
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by Tom McClintock
Updated 1 day ago
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)