Text of Senate Amendment 6376

On 2026-06-24, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6376" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6376

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3504-S3506] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6376. Mr. KELLY (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following: SEC. ___. SHIP AMERICAN. (a) In General.--Chapter 553 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SUBCHAPTER IV--SHIP AMERICA OFFICE ``Sec. 55341. Establishment of Ship America Office ``(a) Establishment.--The Maritime Administrator shall establish within the Maritime Administration an office to be known as the `Ship America Office'. The Maritime Administrator shall appoint the head of the Ship America Office (in this section referred to as the `Ship America Associate Administrator'). ``(b) Duties.--The Ship America Associate Administrator shall have the following duties: ``(1) Providing assistance to private sector entities, Federal financial assistance recipients, Federal agencies, Federal contractors, and owners and operators of oceangoing vessels of the United States to facilitate the movement of commercial and government cargo on vessels of the United States in international commerce. ``(2) Maximizing compliance across Federal agencies with this chapter, section 2631 of title 10, and any other cargo preference law of the United States. ``(3) Providing training and assistance to Federal employees, in all Federal agencies responsible for shipping preference cargo, on the legal obligations under this chapter, section 2631 of title 10, and any other cargo preference law of the United States. ``(4) Developing a `Ship America' verification program to develop self-certification industry standards, in partnership with private sector entities, to allow private sector entities to verifiably demonstrate that a product was transported to the United States aboard a vessel of the United States. ``(5) Supporting the efforts of the executive branch to develop and sustain a fleet of vessels of the United States and maritime industrial base to meet the sealift needs of Federal agencies. ``(6) Where practicable, making accessible, and regularly updating, the publicly available contact information for oceangoing vessels of the United States for the purposes of moving international commerce. ``(7) Publishing, and regularly updating, centralized information on the commercial benefits available to private sector entities for moving commercial cargo on oceangoing vessels of the United States. ``(8) Preparing the reports under subsection (c). ``(c) Reports Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and biennially thereafter, the Maritime Administrator, acting through the Ship America Associate Administrator, shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on-- ``(1) the opportunities and challenges faced by commercial entities to move cargo on oceangoing vessels of the United States; and ``(2) recommendations to increase international commerce moving on vessels of the United States. ``(d) Preventing Duplication.-- ``(1) In general.--In establishing the Ship America Office, the Administrator shall ensure that the activities of the Office do not duplicate existing programs or activities of the Maritime Administration. ``(2) Integration.--To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall transfer and integrate to the Ship America Office all functions described in subsection (b) that were being carried out by personnel and programs of the Maritime Administration on the day before the date of enactment of this section.''. (b) Goods Imported on Vessels of the United States.-- Chapter 605 of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in section 60502(a)(1)-- (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``the vessel''; (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``is entitled'' and all that follows through ``imported in'' and inserting the following: ``the cost of importing goods aboard the vessel is comparable to or greater than the cost of importing goods aboard''; and (C) in subparagraph (B)-- (i) by striking ``(i) is owned'' and inserting the following: ``the vessel-- `` ``(i) is owned''; and (ii) by adjusting the margins of clause (ii) appropriately; and (2) in section 60503(a), by inserting ``, except for the duties imposed under section 60502 of this title,'' after ``suspension of discriminating duties''. (c) Priority for Vessels of the United States.--Part D of subtitle V of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 553 the following: ``CHAPTER 555--PRIORITY FOR VESSELS OF THE UNITED STATES ``Sec. ``55501. Priority for vessels of the United States. ``Sec. 55501. Priority for vessels of the United States ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may allow a vessel of the United States to be given priority at any port in the United States, ahead of a waiting vessel of a country that is a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10)). ``(b) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), if the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, finds that it is in the national interest, the Secretary may waive the priority under this section at any port. The Secretary shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, by not later than 30 days after an action waiving priority under this section at a port.''. (d) Moving Cargo on Vessels of the United States.-- (1) Assessment required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Maritime Readiness Advisor, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, the Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission, and the United States Trade Representative, shall-- (A) conduct an assessment that identifies authorities available under current Federal law, as of the date of such identification, that may be utilized to incentivize the movement of commercial cargo on vessels of the United States in international commerce; (B) review methods for greater assurances of access, in crisis and conflict, to vessels of international allies and partners of the United States; and (C) make recommendations to the President to utilize such authorities. (2) Inclusions.--With respect to goods shipped directly to ports in the United States, the assessment required under paragraph (1) shall include an evaluation of-- (A) tax benefits for taxpayers who ship goods aboard vessels of the United States; (B) modifications to import duties for goods imported or exported aboard vessels of the United States; (C) privileges for vessels of the United States that enable vessels of the United States to provide improved service relative to other vessels in international commerce; and (D) any other authorities that would incentivize the movement of goods aboard vessels of the United States. (3) Report to congress.--Upon carrying out the assessment required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives-- (A) a list of the recommendations made under paragraph (1)(C); and (B) a list of additional actions that could be taken by Congress to further incentivize the movement of commercial cargo on vessels of the United States. (e) Energizing American Shipbuilding.-- (1) National policy on strategic energy asset export transportation.-- (A) Requirement for transportation of exports of natural gas on vessels documented under laws of the united states.-- [[Page S3505]] Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(g) Transportation of Exports of Natural Gas on Vessels Documented Under Laws of the United States.-- ``(1) Condition for approval.--Except as provided in paragraph (7), with respect to an application to export natural gas under subsection (a), the Commission shall include in the order issued for that application the condition that the person submitting the application transport the natural gas on a vessel that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3). ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the requirement under paragraph (1) is to ensure that, of all natural gas exported by vessel in a calendar year, the following percentage is exported by a vessel that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3): ``(A) In each of the 7 calendar years following the calendar year in which this subsection is enacted, not less than 2 percent. ``(B) In each of the 8th and 9th calendar years following the calendar year in which this subsection is enacted, not less than 3 percent. ``(C) In each of the 10th and 11th calendar years following the calendar year in which this subsection is enacted, not less than 4 percent. ``(D) In each of the 12th and 13th calendar years following the calendar year in which this subsection is enacted, not less than 6 percent. ``(E) In each of the 14th and 15th calendar years following the calendar year in which this subsection is enacted, not less than 7