Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank Representative Pfluger for his leadership today.

I rise in support of the Defending American Property Abroad Act. This is a commonsense and targeted bill that gives the United States a real tool to respond when foreign governments unfairly seize property owned by Americans without due process.

The bill would look to identify foreign ports, harbors, and marine terminals where American-owned property has been expropriated or taken without due process.

Once identified, goods loaded at those facilities and passenger vessels serving them may be restricted from entering or operating in United States ports.

Let me be clear about what this means.

It means that if you take American property, you don't get to do business as usual with the United States. We can identify those ports and terminals and restrict the ships that use them from entering our ports.

That is real consequences, not just words.

It is a targeted solution to support American innovation. This legislation focuses on one bad actor.

In recent years, an American company, Vulcan Materials, invested in port and terminal infrastructure in Mexico in good faith under the expectation that its property rights and contracts would be respected.

Instead, the Mexican Government took action that resulted in the seizure of that port facility, despite longstanding agreements.

What makes this even more frustrating is the justification that was offered. Mexican officials pointed to environmental and permitting concerns, but the same government that is accusing this company of environmental harm awarded six Clean Industry awards from PROFEPA, which is their environmental enforcement agency, for the company's environmental stewardship.

You can't speak out of both sides of your mouth.

And at the same time, the Government of Mexico has allowed for the use of Vulcan's deepwater port by another company.

That is not what good faith partnerships look like, especially from our largest trading partner.

Trade should not be a race to the bottom. It should support good- paying jobs, protect the environment and labor standards, and strengthen local communities.

And it should be grounded in mutual respect, where countries that benefit from access to U.S. markets also respect the rights of workers, investors, and communities tied to that trade.

This bill reinforces that principle.

Just like I have been willing to call out unfair practices by foreign governments, I have also spoken out when our own government does something similar, including under President Trump, who has imposed blanket tariffs without rhyme or reason, an equally reckless action.

This bill is a targeted solution. I urge my colleagues to also support this bill.

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