American Cargo for American Ships Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (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.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2035

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 ``American Cargo for American Ships Act''. SEC. 2. CARGOES PROCURED, FURNISHED, OR FINANCED BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

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.''.

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Mr. EZELL. 2035.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2035, the American Cargo for American Ships Act.

This measure focuses on strengthening the United States maritime industry by mandating that cargo procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation must be transported on United States- owned, -flagged, and -crewed commercial vehicles.

This bill ensures that the United States carriers will play a more significant role in the transportation of goods funded by the Federal Government, which will fuel economic growth and bolster United States maritime jobs.

H.R. 2035 also helps ensure that our Nation has a ready fleet of vessels and mariners that we can mobilize in national times of emergency.

I am proud to co-lead this legislation, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal) for introducing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

American shipping has been severely undermined over the past several decades, largely due to the dominance of foreign-flagged vessels that operate at lower cost by sidestepping United States labor, safety, and environmental standards.

H.R. 2035 is critical to restoring our Nation's maritime industry and ushering in a new era of American maritime dominance.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to co-lead this legislation, and I would like to express my gratitude, again, to Representative Carbajal for introducing the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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