This bill seeks to protect the property of United States persons from nationalization or expropriation by foreign governments. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretaries of Treasury and State, to identify and designate specific foreign ports as "prohibited property." These designations apply to ports in Western Hemisphere countries with free trade agreements with the U.S., where land owned or controlled by a U.S. person has been nationalized, expropriated, or had contracts repudiated by the foreign government since January 1, 2024. Once a port is designated as prohibited property , the President must prohibit any vessel loaded or previously held at that location from engaging in various activities in the United States. These restrictions include importing or releasing goods, docking passenger vessels, releasing passengers, or receiving any servicing or maintenance. Additionally, the bill amends Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to expand the definition of "unreasonable or discriminatory" acts to encompass foreign government actions against the assets of a United States person, such as expropriation, nationalization, arbitrary treatment, denial of due process, or discrimination based on nationality. This expansion enables the U.S. to initiate trade enforcement actions in response to these harmful practices.
This bill seeks to protect the property of United States persons from nationalization or expropriation by foreign governments. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretaries of Treasury and State, to identify and designate specific foreign ports as "prohibited property." These designations apply to ports in Western Hemisphere countries with free trade agreements with the U.S., where land owned or controlled by a U.S. person has been nationalized, expropriated, or had contracts repudiated by the foreign government since January 1, 2024. Once a port is designated as prohibited property , the President must prohibit any vessel loaded or previously held at that location from engaging in various activities in the United States. These restrictions include importing or releasing goods, docking passenger vessels, releasing passengers, or receiving any servicing or maintenance. Additionally, the bill amends Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to expand the definition of "unreasonable or discriminatory" acts to encompass foreign government actions against the assets of a United States person, such as expropriation, nationalization, arbitrary treatment, denial of due process, or discrimination based on nationality. This expansion enables the U.S. to initiate trade enforcement actions in response to these harmful practices.