To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a crime for altering, removing, or affixing unauthorized vessel identification numbers and trafficking certain vessels, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9650 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9650

    To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a crime for 
  altering, removing, or affixing unauthorized vessel identification 
    numbers and trafficking certain vessels, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2026

Mr. Ezell (for himself and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a crime for 
  altering, removing, or affixing unauthorized vessel identification 
    numbers and trafficking certain vessels, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Vessel Identification Protection Act 
of 2026''.

SEC. 2. UNAUTHORIZED VESSEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 25 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 507 the following:
``Sec. 507A. Altering, removing, or affixing unauthorized vessel 
              identification numbers
    ``(a) In General.--With respect to a vessel or vessel part in or 
affecting interstate commerce, no person shall knowingly, with the 
purpose of obscuring the identity of a vessel or vessel part--
            ``(1) remove, obliterate, tamper with, forge, counterfeit, 
        alter, or obstruct the visibility of--
                    ``(A) a hull identification number;
                    ``(B) an identification number; or
                    ``(C) a decal or device affixed to a vessel or 
                vessel part; or
            ``(2) affix--
                    ``(A) a hull identification number or an 
                identification number that has not been issued by the 
                appropriate manufacturer, importer, State authority, or 
                Federal authority to a vessel or vessel part; or
                    ``(B) a decal or device that has not been issued by 
                the appropriate manufacturer, importer, State 
                authority, or Federal authority pursuant to chapters 
                41, 43 or 123 of title 46, United States Code, or 
                regulations issued thereunder.
    ``(b) Nonapplication.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to the 
removal of an identification number by a person who is--
            ``(1) authorized to remove the identification number by the 
        United States Coast Guard; or
            ``(2) required to remove the identification number pursuant 
        to Coast Guard regulations.
    ``(c) Penalty.--Whoever violates subsection (a) shall be fined 
under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Hull identification number.--The term `hull 
        identification number' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 187.7 of title 33, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 
        effect on the date of enactment of this Act).
            ``(2) Identification number.--The term `identification 
        number' means a number or symbol that is inscribed or affixed 
        for purposes of identification under chapter 41, 43, or 123 of 
        title 46, United States Code, or regulations issued thereunder.
            ``(3) Tampers with.--The term `tampers with' includes 
        covering a decal or device affixed to a vessel pursuant to 
        chapters 41, 43, and 123 of title 46, United States Code, or 
        regulations issued thereunder.
            ``(4) Vessel.--The term `vessel' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 115 of title 46, United States Code.''.
    (b) Trafficking in Certain Vessels.--Chapter 113 of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2321 the 
following:
``Sec. 2321A. Trafficking in certain vessels
    ``(a) In General.--Whoever buys, receives, possesses, or obtains 
control of, with intent to sell or otherwise dispose of, a vessel in or 
affecting interstate commerce, knowing that an identification number or 
hull identification number for such vessel has been removed, 
obliterated, tampered with, forged, counterfeited, altered, or not 
issued by the appropriate manufacturer, importer, State or Federal 
authority shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
10 years, or both.
    ``(b) Nonapplication.--Subsection (a) does not apply if the 
removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration--
            ``(1) is caused by collision, allision, or fire; or
            ``(2) is not a violation of section 507A of this title.
    ``(c) Identification Number.--In this section, the terms 
`identification number', `hull identification number', and `vessel' 
have the meaning given such terms in section 507A of this title.''.
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