Introduced in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2035 Introduced in House (IH)] 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2035 To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Carbajal (for himself and Mr. Ezell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that all cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation are transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``American Cargo for American Ships Act''.

SEC. 2. CARGOES PROCURED, FURNISHED, OR FINANCED BY UNITED STATES

SEC. 2. CARGOES PROCURED, FURNISHED, OR FINANCED BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--

Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``When the United States Government'' and inserting ``Except as provided in subsection (c), when the United States Government''; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: ``(c) Exception.--When the Department of Transportation procures, contracts for, or otherwise obtains for its own account, or provides financing in any way with Federal funds or advances funds or credits, for the furnishing or obtaining of the equipment, materials, or commodities, the Secretary of Transportation or recipient of such financing shall take steps necessary and practicable to ensure that 100 percent of the gross tonnage of the equipment, materials, or commodities (computed separately for dry bulk carriers, dry cargo liners, and tankers) which may be transported on ocean vessels is transported on privately-owned commercial vessels of the United States, as provided under subsection (b), to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States, in a manner that will ensure a fair and reasonable participation of commercial vessels of the United States in those cargoes by geographic areas.''.