Sponsors
The bill helps keep goods moving during U.S. carrier shortages by authorizing temporary, transparent waivers and short extensions, but it risks reducing business for U.S. maritime operators, creating regulatory uncertainty, and weakening enforcement if waivers can be auto‑approved.
Small importers and shippers can obtain time‑limited waivers to bring in goods when no suitable U.S. product carrier is available, reducing supply disruptions and keeping imports flowing.
Utilities, energy companies, state governments, and other time‑sensitive shippers can extend waivers in 15‑day increments when carrier shortages persist, helping preserve critical supply chains and timely deliveries.
Taxpayers and Congress gain faster visibility into waiver use because agencies must provide waiver requests and approvals within 48 hours, improving oversight and accountability.
U.S. maritime workers and U.S.-flag vessel owners may lose business, revenue, and jobs if waivers permit foreign or non‑coastwise vessels to carry goods, reducing domestic shipping activity.
Automatic 'deemed grants' after 60 days could allow waivers to take effect without substantive agency review, increasing the risk of overuse and weakening enforcement of coastwise laws.
Allowing waivers may create regulatory uncertainty for long‑term domestic fleet operators, complicating investment and planning in U.S. vessel capacity.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a time-limited waiver process allowing agencies to grant temporary coastwise endorsement waivers when no suitable U.S. product carrier is available, with deadlines and congressional notice requirements.
Introduced March 12, 2026 by Benjamin Cline · Last progress March 12, 2026
Creates a formal, time-limited waiver process that lets the responsible federal agency temporarily waive U.S. coastwise endorsement rules when no suitable U.S. product carrier is available and the requester has tried in good faith to find one. Waivers must be limited in length (minimum 30 days), can be extended in short increments if needed, must be decided within set deadlines or become automatically granted for 30 days, and require quick notice to Congress with a written explanation of necessity. Specifies what counts as a "product carrier" (a vessel built or adapted mainly to carry a specified good in bulk) and who qualifies as the responsible agency head or delegated official to act on requests.