What is the SHIPS for America Act?

The SHIPS for America Act is federal legislation to revitalize U.S. maritime and shipbuilding capacity — expanding the U.S.-flag fleet, strengthening the shipbuilding industrial base, and supporting the Merchant Marine. This monitor tracks its status and the related maritime measures in the 119th Congress.

What does the Maritime Legislation Monitor track?

It is a standing watch on U.S. maritime-revitalization legislation in the 119th Congress — the SHIPS Act, Coast Guard authorization, shipbuilding, Jones Act and Merchant Marine measures, and the legislative vehicles carrying them — with current status, latest action, and the next procedural triggers to watch.

How current is the legislative status shown?

The monitor is updated on a rolling schedule from primary legislative sources. Each measure shows its stage, most recent action, and upcoming triggers; confirm time-sensitive items against Congress.gov before relying on them.

What is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) requires goods shipped between two U.S. ports to move on vessels that are U.S.-built, -owned, and -crewed. Related provisions frequently appear in the maritime measures this monitor tracks.

Maritime Legislation Monitor

01 Change Log NEWEST FIRST

Each scheduled run reports only what is new since the prior baseline. Red ticks mark genuinely new developments; amber tags flag items to watch.

11 Sep 2026House Rules CommitteeNew

Rules Committee schedules the House's first floor votes of the compressed window — on vessel-emissions CRA resolutions, not WRDA, STAG, or NDAA

The House Rules Committee announced a Monday, 14 Sep 2026 meeting — the opening move of the chamber's four-day pre-midterm floor window — to tee up floor votes on H.J. Res. 210 and H.J. Res. 213, Congressional Review Act resolutions disapproving EPA's approval of California's Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth and Commercial Harbor Craft emissions regulations. WRDA 2026 (H.R. 9497), the STAG port-grant program (H.R. 8870), and NDAA conference do not appear on that agenda, leaving only three of the window's four days (15–17 Sep) for the flagship maritime vehicles to reach the floor.

House Rules Committee — Meeting Announcement, 14 Sep 2026 ↗H.J. Res. 210 · Congress.gov ↗H.J. Res. 213 · Congress.gov ↗

3 Sep 2026Washington Post / NOTUS / Roll CallSchedule

House GOP cancels final two September session weeks, leaving WRDA, STAG and NDAA conference a four-day floor window before the midterms

House Republican leadership scrapped the chamber's remaining two September legislative weeks (21 and 28 Sep), a reversal of Speaker Johnson's earlier stated position. The House returns 14 Sep for votes and departs 17 Sep for a six-week recess through the November midterm election — leaving just four legislative days for floor action on H.R. 9497 (WRDA), H.R. 8870 (STAG/BUILD America 250) and NDAA conference before members leave to campaign.

Washington Post, 3 Sep 2026 ↗Roll Call, 3 Sep 2026 ↗

2 Sep 2026Engineering News-Record / Roads & Bridges

Stopgap funding law extends IIJA surface-transportation authorities to 11 Dec 2026, relieving H.R. 8870's Sept. 30 cliff

The House passed the Senate's continuing-resolution vehicle 370–48 on 1 Sep 2026, and the President signed it into law on 2 Sep 2026 as the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, funding the government through 11 Dec 2026. Its Surface Transportation Extension Act division extends the IIJA authorities H.R. 8870 (BUILD America 250, carrying the STAG port-grant program) would replace to the same date, removing the 30 Sep 2026 expiration that had been the main forcing function for floor action on the bill.

Engineering News-Record ↗Roads & Bridges ↗

27 Aug 2026Congress.govNew

Discovery add: American Mariner Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 10153) — foreign earned income exclusion for U.S. merchant mariners

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), with Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-3), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), introduced the American Mariner Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 10153) on 27 Aug 2026, referred to House Ways and Means. The bill would extend the federal foreign earned income exclusion to qualifying U.S. merchant mariners who spend at least 90 days in a 12-month period aboard U.S.-flag vessels engaged in foreign trade — a targeted recruitment-and-retention tax measure distinct from the general overseas-worker exclusion.

Congress.gov — H.R. 10153 ↗gCaptain ↗

10 Aug 2026White House / WorkBoat / ReutersWatch

White House extends Jones Act waiver 90 days but narrows it to voyage-by-voyage review — resolves the 16 Aug expiration cliff

The Administration extended the DHS waiver allowing foreign-flagged vessels to carry energy and other commodities between U.S. ports for another 90 days beginning 17 Aug 2026, running into mid-November 2026 — over 240 cumulative days, the longest suspension of the 1920 Jones Act in its history — finalized 10 Aug 2026, six days ahead of the scheduled 16 Aug 2026 expiration. After pressure from shipbuilders and the 52 House Republicans (including Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, T&I Chairman Graves and Maritime Subcommittee Chairman Ezell) who had urged the waiver be allowed to lapse, the White House narrowed its scope: blanket exemptions end, and each voyage now requires case-by-case DHS/CBP approval, with the Pentagon required to consult MARAD on U.S.-flag vessel availability before a foreign ship is approved. The White House cited energy-price pressure from the Iran conflict as its rationale for extending rather than letting the waiver lapse.

WorkBoat ↗Detroit News (Reuters) ↗E&E News / POLITICO ↗

22 Jul 2026House Foreign Affairs CommitteeNew

Discovery add: FLEETS Now Act (H.R. 8615) gets a Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing

Rep. Young Kim's FLEETS Now Act — introduced 30 Apr 2026 to counter China's dominance of global shipbuilding through a coordinated federal strategy and deeper shipyard partnerships with South Korea and Japan — got its first committee action when Kim, chairing the House Foreign Affairs East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee, held a hearing on 22 Jul 2026 titled “Charting a New Course: Countering China's Dominance in Global Shipbuilding.” Newly added to this tracker as a scope gap-fill; the bill carries 5 Republican cosponsors and no markup has been scheduled.

House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing notice ↗Rep. Young Kim press release ↗

30 Jul 2026USNI News / The HillNew

Senate Republicans introduce the Coast Guard Leadership Modernization Act (S. 5069) — a new civilian Secretary of the Coast Guard

Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced S. 5069 on 22 Jul 2026, creating a Senate-confirmed civilian Secretary of the Coast Guard reporting to the DHS Secretary, mirroring the service-secretary model used by the other armed-service branches. The bill has 2 cosponsors and drew national coverage on introduction; committee referral was not yet posted on govinfo BILLSTATUS as of 30 Jul 2026. Confirmed 31 Jul 2026: the bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, resolving the Commerce-vs-Homeland-Security jurisdiction question open at introduction.

USNI News ↗The Hill ↗

23 Jul 2026Rep. Kelly (PA-16) / WorkBoatNew

Kelly–Moran bill would create Maritime Prosperity Zones — Opportunity Zone tax treatment for shipbuilding tracts

Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1) introduced the Shipbuilding Investment and Workforce Act on 23 Jul 2026, authorizing up to 100 Maritime Prosperity Zones — census tracts nominated by the Commerce Secretary (in consultation with DoD, Navy, DOT, USTR and OMB) and certified by Treasury as qualified opportunity zones under the federal tax code, restricted to property and businesses operating substantially in maritime activity (shipyards, ports, harbor facilities, vessel construction and repair, and related manufacturing). The bill implements the Maritime Action Plan's MPZ recommendation, extends qualified-rural-opportunity-fund tax treatment to qualified maritime prosperity funds, takes effect after 31 Dec 2026, and directs Commerce to begin nominations by 1 Jul 2027. Backers include the Lake Carriers' Association, Chamber of Marine Commerce, Steel Manufacturers Association, AISI and the American Shipbuilders Suppliers Association. Confirmed 30 Jul 2026: Congress.gov now lists the bill as H.R. 9911 — introduced 23 Jul 2026 by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) with one cosponsor, described as amending the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow maritime prosperity zones to be designated as qualified opportunity zones, and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, the expected path for the QOZ tax mechanism. Confirmed 10 Aug 2026: Rep. Moran's companion American Shipyard Investment Act of 2026 — a 25% investment tax credit for U.S. shipyard construction and expansion, co-led with Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) — is now listed on Congress.gov as H.R. 9921, introduced 23 Jul 2026 and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means with one cosponsor; no hearing or markup has occurred.

Rep. Kelly press release ↗WorkBoat ↗H.R. 9921 · govinfo ↗

22 Jul 2026House Rules Committee / WorkBoatNew

SHIPS for America boards the NDAA — House adopts Kelly amendment carrying ~64% of the flagship maritime package

Before passing the FY2027 NDAA 216–212 on 22 Jul 2026, the House adopted an amendment by Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) — No. 313 in H.Rept. 119-755, moved in En Bloc #5 per the Republican Cloakroom's floor tracker — replacing Title XXXVI of H.R. 8800 with the "Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2026," a 180-page title Kelly says carries roughly 64% of the standalone SHIPS for America Act (S. 1541 / H.R. 3151). The title raises cargo preference for covered government cargo from 50% to 100% U.S.-flag carriage (effective 180 days after enactment, with emergency and availability waivers), creates a maritime security advisor in the Executive Office of the President and an interagency Maritime Security Board, establishes a Maritime Security Trust Fund capped at $20B (still subject to appropriations), and stands up a Shipbuilding Financial Incentives grant program for U.S.-documented vessel construction and shipyard investment. A companion Ezell (R-MS) amendment (No. 314) implementing parts of Executive Order 14269 and the Feb 2026 Maritime Action Plan moved in the same en bloc. The SHIPS package — parked as a standalone since Apr 2025 — thus reaches the Senate inside the House-passed defense bill.

Republican Cloakroom — H.R. 8800 amendment tracker ↗WorkBoat ↗H.Rept. 119-755 · Congress.gov ↗

22 Jul 2026House Clerk / Congress.govNew

House passes the FY2027 NDAA 216–212 — foreign-shipyard sealift fight moves toward the Senate

The House passed H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, by 216–212 on 22 Jul 2026 (Roll 278: 209 Republicans, 6 Democrats and 1 Independent voting yea; 7 Republicans and 205 Democrats voting nay) after two days of floor debate and amendment votes under H.Res. 1438 — three weeks after the first rule failed 198–224 on 30 Jun 2026. Per the rule, the Clerk adds the SAVE Act to the engrossed bill. The $1.15T authorization carries the maritime provisions in play all year: shipbuilding-industrial-base and depot-modernization measures and the Golden amendment barring FY2027 funds for battle-force ships or components built in foreign shipyards. The bill now goes to the Senate, where companion S. 4784 — with its allied foreign-shipyard sealift authority — remains blocked after the 50–46 cloture failure of 14 Jul 2026; the House-Senate divergence on allied shipbuilding is now formally teed up for conference.

Roll 278 · House Clerk ↗H.R. 8800 · Congress.gov ↗Engineering News-Record ↗

21 Jul 2026House Clerk / Congress.govNew

House adopts the NDAA rule 214–211 — H.R. 8800 reaches the floor with the SAVE Act linkage intact

The House agreed to H.Res. 1438 by a record vote of 214–211 on 21 Jul 2026 (after adopting the previous question 213–209), clearing the way for floor consideration of H.R. 8800, the FY2027 NDAA — three weeks after the first rule failed 198–224 on 30 Jun 2026. Per the reported resolution (H.Rept. 119-755), the rule provides for H.R. 8800 under a structured rule and also makes in order, under closed rules, the FY2027 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 113), a continuing appropriations bill (H.R. 9770), H.R. 8884, H.R. 7008 and H.R. 6955; the directive adding the SAVE Act to the engrossment of H.R. 8800 is retained. Final passage of the NDAA — carrying the foreign-shipyard sealift and shipbuilding-industrial-base provisions — is the vote to watch next; Senate companion S. 4784 remains blocked after the 50–46 cloture failure of 14 Jul 2026.

H.Res. 1438 · Congress.gov ↗Republican Cloakroom — floor summary, 21 Jul 2026 ↗The Hill ↗

20 Jul 2026House Rules CommitteeNew

Rules Committee reports a new rule for the FY2027 NDAA, 8–4 — SAVE Act engrossment linkage retained

The House Rules Committee met the evening of 20 Jul 2026 and reported a new combined rule (H.Res. 1438, H.Rept. 119-755) by a record vote of 8–4, clearing the path for H.R. 8800, the FY2027 NDAA, to return to the House floor. The structured rule self-executes an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of Rules Committee Print 119-33 and makes in order only the amendments in Part A of the report; per the reported resolution (confirmed against govinfo BILLSTATUS), the same rule also provides for the FY2027 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 113), a continuing appropriations bill (H.R. 9770), H.R. 8884, H.R. 7008 and H.R. 6955 under closed rules. Notably, the rule again directs the Clerk to add the text of the SAVE Act to the engrossment of H.R. 8800, the same linkage that contributed to the 198–224 defeat of the first rule (H.Res. 1398) on 30 Jun 2026.

Rules Committee — rule text (H.R. 8800 et al.) ↗Rules Committee — H.R. 8800 ↗

20 Jul 2026House Majority LeaderNew

FY2027 NDAA returns to the House floor — H.R. 8800 scheduled for the week of 20 Jul 2026

Majority Leader Scalise's weekly schedule lists H.R. 8800, the FY2027 NDAA, for consideration pursuant to a rule beginning Tuesday 21 Jul 2026 — the bill's first scheduled floor action since the rule (H.Res. 1398) failed 198–224 on 30 Jun 2026. The House tabled the motion to reconsider that vote by unanimous consent on 13 Jul 2026, so a new rule from the Rules Committee is required; no new Rules meeting announcement had posted as of 20 Jul 2026. The same week's floor list includes the FY2027 budget resolution and a Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027, while Senate companion S. 4784 remains blocked after the 50–46 cloture failure of 14 Jul 2026.

House Majority Leader — Weekly Schedule ↗CRS IN12704 ↗

15 Jul 2026Senate EPWNew

Senate EPW unanimously approves WRDA 2026 — Senate bill is S. 4949

Senate Environment & Public Works unanimously approved the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2026 at its 15 Jul 2026 business meeting, putting WRDA through committee in both chambers within 24 hours. The Senate vehicle is S. 4949, introduced 13 Jul 2026 by Chairman Capito (R-WV) for herself and Sens. Whitehouse (D-RI), Cramer (R-ND), Schiff (D-CA) and Alsobrooks (D-MD), and referred to EPW. It authorizes Corps navigation, flood-risk and ecosystem work, reauthorizes EPA's Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds through FY2030, and streamlines the Corps' Section 408 review process.

Senate EPW ↗Sen. Cramer (EPW T&I Subcmte Chairman) ↗S. 4949 · Congress.gov ↗

14 Jul 2026House T&INew

House T&I reports WRDA 2026 by 66–0

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee favorably reported the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497) by a bipartisan 66–0 vote on 14 Jul 2026, rescheduled from 1 Jul. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House. Sponsored by Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO-6), it authorizes the Corps navigation, harbor and lock-and-dam program that inland river ports rely on.

House T&I ↗H.R. 9497 ↗

14 Jul 2026U.S. Senate / CRSNew

FY2027 NDAA stalls on both floors — Senate blocks motion to proceed to S. 4784

The Senate failed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4784, the FY2027 NDAA, by 50–46 on 14 Jul 2026 (Leader Thune switched to no to preserve a motion to reconsider), two weeks after the House rule for companion H.R. 8800 failed 198–224 on 30 Jun 2026. Both bills are through committee — HASC reported H.R. 8800 by 44–12 (H.Rept. 119-698) and SASC reported S. 4784 by 18–9 (S.Rept. 119-127), both filed 15 Jun 2026 — and carry consequential maritime provisions: the Senate bill authorizes procuring up to two bulk-fuel vessels and strategic sealift vessels in allied foreign shipyards (conditioned on investment in the U.S. maritime industrial base), requires one new domestic Ready Reserve Force sealift vessel for every used foreign-built vessel above the existing 12-vessel limit, adds over $1B for maritime unmanned systems and bars hiring freezes at public shipyards, while the House bill's Golden amendment prohibits FY2027 funds for battle-force ships built in foreign shipyards.

Senate Roll Call Vote 195 ↗CRS IN12704 ↗SASC FY2027 NDAA Executive Summary ↗

24 Jun 2026Congress.gov / TradeWindsNew

Late-June cosponsor surge on the SHIPS for America Act

Sens. Ashley Moody (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Curtis (R-UT), and Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) signed on to S. 1541 on June 22–24, bringing the Senate bill to 24 cosponsors (5 original plus 19) split roughly evenly between the parties. No Senate Commerce markup has been scheduled.

S. 1541 ↗TradeWinds ↗

1 Jun 2026Congress.gov

Democratic cosponsors join S. 1541

Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) cosponsored the SHIPS for America Act, with Thom Tillis (R-NC) following on June 2 — reinforcing the bill's cross-party breadth.

S. 1541 ↗

22 May 2026House T&I Committee

T&I approves BUILD America 250 Act 62–2 — STAG port provisions intact

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act (five-year surface transportation reauthorization), 62–2 via an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute plus Chairman Graves' Manager's Amendment. The Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) program (§1124, new 23 U.S.C. 173) — $2.4B/yr with inland-port and land-port-of-entry eligibility — survived markup intact; an adopted Figures amendment prioritizes road-access grants supporting America's Maritime Action Plan (50–12), and the §1118 repeal of the Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Program stands.

H.R. 8870 ↗House T&I ↗

20 May 2026Congress.gov

SASC Chairman Wicker cosponsors S. 1541

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) joined as a cosponsor, adding a defense-committee power center to the SHIPS for America Act's Senate coalition.

S. 1541 ↗

13 Feb 2026White HouseWatch

White House Maritime Action Plan urges passage of the SHIPS Act

The Administration released "America's Maritime Action Plan," explicitly calling on Congress to pass the SHIPS for America Act and signaling a forthcoming Administration maritime legislative package tied to the FY2027 budget.

Action Plan (PDF) ↗Sen. Young release ↗

18 Dec 2025Public Law

FY2026 NDAA signed — carries the Coast Guard Authorization Act

The FY2026 NDAA (S. 1071) was signed into law as P.L. 119-60, enacting the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 as Division G and authorizing $26B+ for naval shipbuilding plus roughly $1.1B for the Maritime Administration.

P.L. 119-60 ↗

15 Dec 2025House T&I

House passes FMC Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 4183)

The House passed H.R. 4183, the Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-SD), under suspension of the rules on 15 Dec 2025. The bill reauthorizes FMC appropriations for FY2026–2027 and strengthens protections for U.S. shippers and carriers against unfair practices of foreign-flagged ocean carriers. It was received in the Senate and referred to the Commerce Committee, which has taken no action on it as of 17 Jul 2026.

House T&I ↗H.R. 4183 · Congress.gov ↗

23 Jul 2025House floor

House passes the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, 399–12

The House passed H.R. 4275, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, by 399–12 under suspension of the rules (Roll 218); the reconciled text was later enacted as Division G of the FY2026 NDAA.

H.R. 4275 ↗

4 Jul 2025Public Law

OBBBA enacted — icebreaker and Security Cutter funding

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21) was signed into law with the largest recent maritime appropriation: roughly $4.3B for up to three heavy Polar Security Cutters, $3.5B for three Arctic Security Cutters, and $186M for light/medium icebreakers.

H.R. 1 (P.L. 119-21) ↗

9 Jun 2025Congress.gov / House floor

House passes the Maritime Supply Chain Security Act (H.R. 2390) — PIDP grants to replace China-linked port cranes

The House passed H.R. 2390, the Maritime Supply Chain Security Act (Rep. David Rouzer, R-NC-7), on 9 Jun 2025, after the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee agreed to it by voice vote on 31 Mar 2025 (H.Rept. 119-145) following a 5 Feb 2025 Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hearing. It authorizes MARAD to competitively award Port Infrastructure Development Program grants to upgrade or replace port cranes — hardware or software — maintained, installed, provided, controlled, or sponsored by China or any Chinese government entity. Received in the Senate and referred to Commerce, Science & Transportation, where it has had no further action as of 31 Jul 2026. Added to the bill board this run as a genuine, previously untracked maritime vehicle within scope.

H.R. 2390 · Congress.gov ↗H. Rept. 119-145 ↗

30 Apr 2025Congress.gov

SHIPS for America Act introduced

The SHIPS for America Act was introduced as S. 1541 (Sen. Mark Kelly, D-AZ) with House companion H.R. 3151 (Rep. Trent Kelly, R-MS, and Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA), alongside the tax vehicle S. 1536 (Building Ships in America Act). All were referred to committee.

S. 1541 ↗

02 Bills & Vehicles 19 OF 19

Click any row for the full description and the Congress.gov link. Teal = moving or newly introduced; amber = parked in committee; red = the priority item or one that is stuck / has no public text yet.

Bill	Name	Chamber	Status	Jurisdiction / Latest
H.R. 9497	Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026)	House	Priority · Reported	House Transportation & Infrastructure · reported 66–0 on 14 Jul 2026 · awaiting House floor
The biennial Army Corps of Engineers authorization and the most active maritime vehicle in the 119th Congress. Introduced 29 Jun 2026 by T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO-6) with Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA-2), Mike Collins (R-GA-10) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24) as original cosponsors, it authorizes flood-risk management, navigation, and ecosystem-restoration work — the harbor, channel, and lock-and-dam projects that inland river ports and their shippers depend on. The committee unanimously approved it 66–0 on 14 Jul 2026; as reported it authorizes 133 new feasibility studies and 14 Corps-vetted projects ready for construction authorization, establishes a dedicated Corps inland-navigation office, and reauthorizes FEMA's High Hazard Potential Dam program. Larsen has said he expects full-House passage soon. The Senate companion S. 4949 cleared EPW unanimously on 15 Jul. Note: govinfo BILLSTATUS for H.R. 9497 still reflects only the 29 Jun referral (last updated 30 Jun), so the markup is sourced to the committee itself. Re-verified 25 Aug 2026 — no House floor action scheduled; House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026, with WRDA floor time still expected in September per T&I leadership. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — House returns from recess today; no WRDA floor scheduling announced yet for the September work period. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: Congress returned from recess 2 Sep 2026; House GOP leadership canceled the chamber's final two September session weeks on 3 Sep 2026, narrowing the pre-midterm floor window to four days (14–17 Sep) — no WRDA floor scheduling announced yet within that window. H.R. 9497 · Congress.gov ↗
S. 4949	Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (Senate companion)	Senate	Priority · Cmte-Approved	Senate Environment & Public Works · introduced 13 Jul 2026 · approved unanimously 15 Jul 2026
The Senate vehicle for WRDA 2026, introduced 13 Jul 2026 by EPW Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for herself and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and unanimously approved by the committee at its 15 Jul 2026 business meeting — EPW's twelfth consecutive biennial bipartisan WRDA. Authorizes Corps navigation, flood-risk management and ecosystem-restoration work (roughly 131 new feasibility studies and 10 new construction projects), and goes beyond the House text by reauthorizing EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund ($3.75B, rising $500M/yr through FY2030) and Clean Water State Revolving Fund ($3.5B, rising $250M/yr). Also directs the Corps to set metrics and deadlines for Section 408 permission applications and to establish a categorical exclusion for Continuing Authorities Program and Environmental Infrastructure projects with a federal cost share at or below $50M — the process reforms most relevant to port sponsors. Committee action is sourced to EPW and the T&I subcommittee chairman; govinfo BILLSTATUS lags the markup. Re-verified 25 Aug 2026 — no Senate floor action; the Senate remains in recess until 14 Sep 2026, with no scheduling announced for either WRDA vehicle. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — no change; Senate remains in recess until 14 Sep 2026. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: no change; the Senate remains in recess until 14 Sep 2026, and the House's compressed September floor calendar (four days, 14–17 Sep, announced 3 Sep 2026) narrows the pre-midterm window for a companion House vote. S. 4949 · Congress.gov ↗
S. 1541	SHIPS for America Act of 2025	Senate	Stalled · In Committee	Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation · referred 30 Apr 2025 · 24 cosponsors
The flagship maritime-revitalization bill (Sen. Mark Kelly, D-AZ). Creates a national maritime strategy and a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund, targets adding 250 U.S.-flagged international ships over 10 years, rebuilds the shipyard industrial base, and expands the mariner and shipyard workforce (including U.S. Merchant Marine Academy provisions). The 341-page Senate text builds a full "top-of-the-funnel" workforce architecture: it directs designated maritime Centers of Excellence to engage students in kindergarten through grade 12 (Sec. 617), and stands up a Maritime Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (Sec. 613) that recommends standardized curricula made publicly available to high schools and technical schools, with required seats for K-12 maritime education programs and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Broad bipartisan backing — including the Armed Services and Appropriations chairs — but no markup in either chamber since its April 2025 referral. Tactical pivot, 22 Jul 2026: House sponsor Rep. Trent Kelly moved roughly 64% of the package (by his estimate) into the House-passed FY2027 NDAA as a replacement Title XXXVI — see H.R. 8800 — putting the SHIPS core on a must-pass vehicle while the standalone bill stays parked. Whether the K-12 Centers of Excellence (Sec. 617) and Maritime CTE Advisory Committee (Sec. 613) provisions are among those carried in the NDAA title is not yet verified against the amendment text. Re-verified 14 Aug 2026 — no Senate Commerce markup; the Senate remains in recess until 14 Sep 2026. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no change; the Senate remains in recess with no Commerce Committee executive session scheduled before members return 14 Sep 2026, and no action on S. 1541. Re-verified 21 Aug 2026 — no change; the Senate remains in recess with no Commerce Committee executive session scheduled before members return 14 Sep 2026, and no action on S. 1541. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no change; the Senate remains in recess with no Commerce Committee executive session scheduled before members return 14 Sep 2026, and no action on S. 1541. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — no change; Senate remains in recess until 14 Sep 2026, no Commerce markup scheduled. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. S. 1541 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 3151	SHIPS for America Act of 2025 (House companion)	House	In Committee	House Transportation & Infrastructure (multi-committee) · to subcommittee 1 May 2025 · 137 cosponsors
House companion to S. 1541 (Rep. Trent Kelly, R-MS, with Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA). Multi-committee referral; sent to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation. Large bipartisan cosponsor list but no markup yet. Re-verified against govinfo BILLSTATUS 29 Jul 2026 — no new action on the standalone bill (the bulk XML lags, showing no activity beyond referral). Sponsor Kelly moved roughly 64% of the package into the FY2027 NDAA on the House floor on 22 Jul 2026 (see H.R. 8800) — the SHIPS package's first floor action in any form; the standalone companion remains parked. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — no new cosponsors or committee action on the standalone companion; House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no new cosponsors or committee action on the standalone companion; House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026. Re-verified 21 Aug 2026 — no new cosponsors or committee action on the standalone companion; House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no new cosponsors or committee action on the standalone companion; House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — still 137 cosponsors, no committee action; House returns from recess today. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. H.R. 3151 on Congress.gov ↗
S. 1536	Building Ships in America Act of 2025	Senate	In Committee	Senate Finance · referred 30 Apr 2025
The tax vehicle paired with the SHIPS package: a 33% credit for building or repowering U.S.-flagged oceangoing commercial vessels and a 25% credit for investment in domestic shipyard facilities. Held in Finance pending action on S. 1541. Re-verified 10 Aug 2026 — no Senate Finance action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — no Senate Finance action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no Senate Finance action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no Senate Finance action; both chambers in recess. S. 1536 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 8870	BUILD America 250 Act (surface transportation reauthorization)	House	Cmte-Approved · Awaiting Floor	House Transportation & Infrastructure · approved by committee 62–2 on 22 May 2026 · awaiting House floor
The House's five-year surface transportation reauthorization (Chairman Sam Graves, R-MO), authorizing roughly $580B for FY2027–2031. Tracked here for its port-relevant Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) program (§1124, new 23 U.S.C. 173): $2.4B/yr from the Highway Trust Fund split 25% rural / 25% urban / 50% local-and-regional, with inland-port and land-port-of-entry eligibility, port authorities as eligible entities, non-federal-share stacking with TIFIA/RRIF, and a $25M per-project cap. The T&I Committee approved the bill 62–2 on 22 May 2026 via an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute plus the Chairman's Manager's Amendment; STAG's port-eligibility language survived markup intact, an adopted Figures amendment prioritizes road-access grants supporting America's Maritime Action Plan (50–12), and the §1118 repeal of the Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Program stands. No House floor vote yet; the Senate has not produced its reauthorization; IIJA authorities expire 30 Sep 2026. Re-verified 18 Jul 2026 — still awaiting House floor, no change. Re-verified 14 Aug 2026 — no change; the House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026 with no floor scheduling for H.R. 8870. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no change; the House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026 with no floor scheduling for H.R. 8870. Re-verified 21 Aug 2026 — no change; the House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026 with no floor scheduling for H.R. 8870. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no change; the House remains in recess until 31 Aug 2026 with no floor scheduling for H.R. 8870. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — no floor schedule yet; House returns from recess today, with IIJA authorities expiring 30 Sep 2026 adding pressure for September action. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: the President signed the FY2027 stopgap into law 2 Sep 2026, extending the IIJA surface-transportation authorities this bill would replace to 11 Dec 2026 and relieving the 30 Sep 2026 cliff — but House GOP leadership canceled the chamber's final two September session weeks on 3 Sep 2026, leaving only a four-day floor window (14–17 Sep) for H.R. 8870. H.R. 8870 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 8800 / S. 4784	National Defense Authorization Act, FY2027	Both	Passed House · Senate Blocked	HASC reported 44–12 (H.Rept. 119-698) · SASC reported 18–9 (S.Rept. 119-127), both 15 Jun 2026 · passed House 216–212 (Roll 278) on 22 Jul 2026 with a SHIPS for America title · Senate blocked
The year's principal defense-maritime vehicle — now through the House. HASC reported H.R. 8800 and SASC reported S. 4784 on 15 Jun 2026; the first House rule (H.Res. 1398) failed 198–224 on 30 Jun 2026 over the SAVE Act engrossment linkage, but the House adopted a new rule (H.Res. 1438, H.Rept. 119-755) 214–211 on 21 Jul 2026 with the linkage retained, and after two days of floor debate and amendment votes passed the $1.15T bill 216–212 on 22 Jul 2026 (Roll 278: 209 R, 6 D and 1 I yea; 7 R and 205 D nay; per the rule, the Clerk adds the SAVE Act to the engrossed bill). The measure now goes to the Senate, where cloture on the motion to proceed to companion S. 4784 failed 50–46 on 14 Jul 2026 amid the defense-spending standoff, with Leader Thune's motion to reconsider pending. The maritime stakes are substantial: the Senate bill authorizes procurement of up to two bulk-fuel vessels and strategic sealift vessels in allied foreign shipyards conditioned on foreign investment in the U.S. maritime industrial base, requires one new domestic sealift vessel for the Ready Reserve Force for every used foreign-built vessel procured above the 12-vessel limitation, authorizes an increase of more than $1B for maritime unmanned systems, and prohibits hiring freezes or reductions in force at public shipyards; the House bill carries the Golden amendment barring FY2027 funds for battle-force ships or parts built in foreign shipyards. The House-passed bill also carries far more than defense provisions: the Kelly amendment (No. 313, H.Rept. 119-755), adopted before final passage, replaced Title XXXVI with the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2026 — roughly 64% of the standalone SHIPS for America Act by the sponsor's estimate, including 100% cargo preference, a $20B-capped Maritime Security Trust Fund, and a White House maritime security advisor — and the Ezell amendment (No. 314) implements parts of Executive Order 14269 and the Maritime Action Plan. On the Senate side, Leader Thune moved to proceed to S. 4784 again on the morning of 23 Jul 2026 but withdrew the motion the same afternoon (Senate Daily Press), leaving the chamber's path to the NDAA unresolved going into the recess window. With House passage, the conference fights to watch are the allied foreign-shipyard divergence and whether the SHIPS title survives intact — once the Senate unblocks. The White House has now formally taken sides: OMB's Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 8800, dated 21 Jul 2026 and first reported 24 Jul 2026 (USNI News), opposes the bill's prohibition on procuring battle-force ships from foreign shipyards as "inconsistent with the Administration's priority legislative proposal" to contract two surface combatants and two non-combat auxiliaries in allied foreign yards to drive foreign investment into domestic shipyards — putting the Administration against both chambers' foreign-warship restrictions heading into conference. Re-verified 25 Aug 2026 — no change; the Senate remains blocked on cloture to S. 4784, with no new motion to proceed reported since Leader Thune's withdrawn 23 Jul 2026 attempt, and Congress remains in its August district/state work period. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — no change; conference expected once both chambers are back in session in September, per trade-press reporting. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: no change in conference status; House GOP leadership's 3 Sep 2026 cancellation of the chamber's final two September session weeks leaves NDAA conference the same compressed four-day floor window (14–17 Sep) as WRDA and STAG. H.R. 8800 · Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 4275 / S. 524	Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025	Both	Enacted · P.L. 119-60	Enacted as Division G of the FY2026 NDAA · signed 18 Dec 2025
Sponsored by T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), the House passed H.R. 4275 on 23 Jul 2025 by 399–12 (Roll 218); the reconciled Coast Guard Authorization Act was enacted as Division G of the FY2026 NDAA (P.L. 119-60). Reauthorizes the Coast Guard and carries maritime and vessel provisions. H.R. 4275 on Congress.gov ↗
S. 1071 · P.L. 119-60	National Defense Authorization Act, FY2026	Both	Enacted · P.L. 119-60	Signed into law 18 Dec 2025
The enacted FY2026 defense authorization — the year's main maritime vehicle. Authorizes $26B+ for naval shipbuilding and roughly $1.1B for the Maritime Administration, carries the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 (Division G), and adds maritime-industrial-base workforce authorities plus an automated-shipbuilding pilot. S. 1071 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 1 · P.L. 119-21	One Big Beautiful Bill Act — maritime provisions	Both	Enacted · P.L. 119-21	Signed into law 4 Jul 2025
Reconciliation law carrying the single largest recent maritime appropriation: roughly $4.3B for up to three heavy Polar Security Cutters, $3.5B for three Arctic Security Cutters, $186M for light/medium icebreakers, and about $4.4B for Coast Guard shoreside facilities. H.R. 1 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 4183	Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025	House	Passed House · In Senate	Passed House 15 Dec 2025 under suspension · in Senate Commerce, no action
The FMC reauthorization (Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-SD) — the ocean-carrier regulation vehicle of the 119th Congress. Reauthorizes Federal Maritime Commission appropriations for FY2026–2027 and protects U.S. shippers and carriers from anticompetitive or unfair practices of foreign-flagged ocean carriers: it creates a formal process for reporting suspected market manipulation by shipping exchanges with required investigations, directs FMC rulemaking on the use of container freight price indexes, broadens oversight of certain foreign-linked carriers to prevent below-cost pricing, and expands public posting of penalties to marine terminals. Passed the House under suspension of the rules on 15 Dec 2025; received in the Senate and referred to Commerce, which has neither acted on it nor produced an alternative. Re-verified 17 Jul 2026 — no Senate action. Re-verified 10 Aug 2026 — still no Senate Commerce action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — still no Senate Commerce action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — still no Senate Commerce action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 21 Aug 2026 — still no Senate Commerce action; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — still no Senate Commerce action; both chambers in recess. H.R. 4183 · Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 2390	Maritime Supply Chain Security Act	House	Passed House · In Senate	Passed House 9 Jun 2025 · in Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation · no action since referral
Sponsored by Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC-7), introduced 26 Mar 2025 and referred to House Transportation & Infrastructure; the Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee took it up at a 5 Feb 2025 hearing ("America Builds: Maritime Infrastructure"), and the full committee agreed to it by voice vote on 31 Mar 2025 (H.Rept. 119-145). The House passed it on 9 Jun 2025. It authorizes MARAD to competitively award Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grants to upgrade or replace port cranes — hardware or software — maintained, installed, provided, controlled, or sponsored by China or any Chinese government entity, addressing the ship-to-shore crane supply-chain-security risk flagged by DHS/CISA. Received in the Senate and referred to Commerce, Science & Transportation, where it has sat with no further action for over a year. Newly added to this dashboard 31 Jul 2026 following a discovery-sweep gap check; re-verified against govinfo BILLSTATUS and GovTrack the same day. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — no further Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation action since referral; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no further Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation action since referral; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no further Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation action since referral; both chambers in recess. H.R. 2390 · Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 252	Secure Our Ports Act of 2025	House	Passed House · In Senate	House Transportation & Infrastructure · reported (H.Rept. 119-148) · passed House 9 Jun 2025 · in Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation · no action since referral · 2 cosponsors
Sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA-41) with Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA) and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) as cosponsors, H.R. 252 bars port facilities that operate under a Coast Guard-approved security plan from entering into new ownership, leasing, or operation contracts with a state-owned enterprise of China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran, or with any foreign entity substantially owned by one of those governments — a port-facility-ownership counterpart to the ship-to-shore crane supply-chain provisions in H.R. 2390. The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee reported the bill (H.Rept. 119-148), and the House passed it, as amended, under suspension of the rules on 9 Jun 2025 — the same day it passed H.R. 2390. Received in the Senate and referred to Commerce, Science & Transportation, where it has had no further action reported as of 12 Aug 2026. Newly added to this dashboard as a discovery-sweep gap-fill; confirmed via GovTrack, Congress.gov search results and the sponsor's press releases (direct govinfo BILLSTATUS/Congress.gov fetch blocked in this sandbox per known-issues doc, so this entry relies on secondary confirmation rather than the primary XML — flagged for re-verification against BILLSTATUS when that channel is available). Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no further Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation action found via secondary sources; both chambers in recess. (Primary govinfo BILLSTATUS fetch remains blocked in this sandbox, per known-issues doc.) Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no further Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation action found via secondary sources; both chambers in recess. H.R. 252 · Congress.gov ↗
S. 2043 / H.R. 3940	Open America's Waters Act of 2025 (Jones Act repeal)	Both	In Committee	Referred to committee · introduced 12 Jun 2025
Would repeal the Jones Act's U.S.-built, -owned, -crewed, and -flagged requirements for coastwise trade (Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT; Rep. Tom McClintock, R-CA). Limited cosponsor support and no action beyond referral — tracked as the counter-current to the SHIPS package. Context, 10 Aug 2026: the White House extended the separate DHS Jones Act waiver 90 days (to mid-Nov 2026) but narrowed it from a blanket exemption to voyage-by-voyage review after shipbuilder and House GOP pressure — the same underlying industrial-base debate this repeal bill runs through, though the waiver is executive action, not this bill. Re-verified 11 Aug 2026 — no committee action on this bill; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 14 Aug 2026 — no committee action on this bill; both chambers remain in recess. Note: the separate DHS Jones Act waiver (see watch) now runs through 11:59pm 15 Nov 2026, narrowed to voyage-by-voyage review via a new Vessel Availability Request process. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no committee action on this bill; both chambers remain in recess. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no committee action on this bill; both chambers remain in recess. S. 2043 on Congress.gov ↗
H.R. 2429	U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Campus Modernization	House	In Committee	House Armed Services · introduced 27 Mar 2025
Directs a comprehensive Campus Modernization Plan for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. Referred to House Armed Services; a standalone workforce-and-facilities measure alongside the broader mariner provisions in the SHIPS Act. Re-verified 10 Aug 2026 — no change; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — no change; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — no change; both chambers in recess. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — no change; both chambers in recess. H.R. 2429 on Congress.gov ↗
S. 5069	Coast Guard Leadership Modernization Act	Senate	In Committee (Commerce) · 2 cosponsors	Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation · introduced 22 Jul 2026 · referred 22 Jul 2026 · 2 cosponsors
Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced this bill on 22 Jul 2026 to create a new, Senate-confirmed civilian Secretary of the Coast Guard — a service-secretary-style post reporting to the DHS Secretary and mirroring the structure of the other armed-service branches. The nominee would generally have to come from civilian life (a former active-duty officer could not be appointed until 7 years after leaving service) and would take over much of the Coast Guard's day-to-day interaction with the Pentagon. Drew coverage from USNI News, The Hill and NewsNation on introduction. Confirmed 31 Jul 2026: the bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, resolving the Commerce-vs-Homeland-Security jurisdiction question open at introduction — tracked here as a structural Coast Guard reform bill in its first committee stage. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — still 2 cosponsors, no further Commerce Committee action; Senate in recess until 14 Sep 2026. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — still 2 cosponsors, no further Commerce Committee action; Senate in recess until 14 Sep 2026. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — still 2 cosponsors, no further Commerce Committee action; Senate in recess until 14 Sep 2026. Re-verified 31 Aug 2026 — still 2 cosponsors, no further Commerce Committee action. Re-verified 1 Sep 2026: no change — Congress remains in August recess, returning 2 Sep 2026; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update since the 31 Aug baseline. Re-verified 2 Sep 2026: no change — Congress returned from August recess today; no floor action, markup, or BILLSTATUS update yet on this measure. Congress.gov · S. 5069 ↗
H.R. 8615	FLEETS Now Act	House	In Committee · Subcommittee Hearing Held	House Foreign Affairs, East Asia & the Pacific Subcommittee · introduced 30 Apr 2026 · subcommittee hearing held 22 Jul 2026 · 5 cosponsors
The Facilitating Leadership and Expertise through Exchange and Training in Shipbuilding Now Act of 2026, introduced by Rep. Young Kim (R-CA-40) with Reps. Lawler and Radewagen on 30 Apr 2026 and referred to House Foreign Affairs, would counter China's roughly 53% share of global shipbuilding output by creating a coordinated federal shipbuilding strategy, authorizing a State Department Assistant Secretary for Water, Environment and Space Affairs to lead shipbuilding diplomacy, and deepening allied shipyard partnerships with South Korea and Japan. Newly added to the bill board this run (discovery-sweep gap-fill): Kim, who chairs the Foreign Affairs East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee, held a hearing on 22 Jul 2026 (“Charting a New Course: Countering China's Dominance in Global Shipbuilding”) spotlighting the bill, with witnesses from CSIS, Heritage and the Stimson Center. 5 Republican cosponsors as of this writing; no markup scheduled. Re-verified 16 Aug 2026 — still 5 cosponsors, no markup scheduled since the 22 Jul 2026 subcommittee hearing. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026 — still 5 cosponsors, no markup scheduled. Re-verified 22 Aug 2026 — still 5 cosponsors, no markup scheduled since the 22 Jul 2026 subcommittee hearing. Congress.gov ↗
H.J. Res. 210	Disapproving EPA's approval of California's Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth Regulation	House	Rules Committee · Floor Vote Expected This Week	House Rules Committee · introduced 6 Aug 2026 · floor rule set for 14 Sep 2026
Discovery add. A Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution disapproving EPA's approval of California's Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth Regulation — the roughly two-decade-old rule requiring container, refrigerated-cargo and cruise ships to plug into shore power or use equivalent emissions controls while docked at California ports. Introduced 6 Aug 2026 by Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA-20) with 3 cosponsors; a Senate companion, S.J. Res. 209 (Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-AK), was introduced the same day. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin transmitted the underlying California Clean Air Act waiver to Congress on 22 Jul 2026 as a CRA-reviewable rule, arguing it should have been submitted years earlier; a resolution of disapproval, if passed by both chambers and signed, would revoke the waiver and bar EPA from reissuing a substantially similar rule. Newly discovered this run: the House Rules Committee scheduled H.J. Res. 210 for a Monday, 14 Sep 2026 meeting — the first floor rule of the House's compressed four-day pre-midterm session — putting this vessel-emissions preemption fight ahead of WRDA, STAG, or NDAA conference, none of which appear on that same agenda. In scope as a vessel environmental/emissions rule directly affecting California port calls. H.J. Res. 210 · Congress.gov ↗
H.J. Res. 213	Disapproving EPA's approval of California's Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations	House	Rules Committee · Floor Vote Expected This Week	House Rules Committee · floor rule set for 14 Sep 2026
Discovery add. Companion CRA disapproval resolution targeting EPA's approval of California's Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations, which set state emissions standards for tugs, ferries and other harbor workboats. Sponsored by Rep. James Gallagher (R-CA-1) with Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA-20) as cosponsor; Senate companion S.J. Res. 210 was introduced by Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH). EPA transmitted the underlying waiver to Congress under the CRA on 22 Jul 2026, the same batch of California vessel/nonroad-engine waivers as H.J. Res. 210. Scheduled alongside H.J. Res. 210 for the House Rules Committee's Monday, 14 Sep 2026 meeting — the first rule of the House's four-day floor window before the midterm recess — putting a vessel-emissions preemption fight, not WRDA/STAG/NDAA, first in line for floor action this week. Port and environmental advocates (Pacific Environment) warn reversal would create regulatory uncertainty for California ports and vessel operators after roughly two decades of the underlying at-berth/harbor-craft framework; shipbuilding- and energy-aligned groups back disapproval as regulatory relief. H.J. Res. 213 · Congress.gov ↗

03 Next Triggers to Watch

MARAD Title XI shipbuilding-financing rule — fees cut, regs streamlined

MARAD issued an interim final rule revising Title XI Vessel and Shipyard Financing Program regulations (Federal Register, 28 Aug 2026, Docket MARAD-2026-1288), effective the same day with comments due 27 Oct 2026. The rule removes 14 of the existing 34 regulatory sections, cuts the Title XI application fee from $5,000 to $1,000, replaces the investigation fee with a commitment fee capped at the lesser of 0.25% of guaranteed debt or $250,000, and lets projects continue through processing and approval while a foreign-sourced-equipment waiver remains outstanding. This is an executive/regulatory action implementing existing Title XI statutory authority, not new legislation — watch for whether Congress addresses Title XI financing further in WRDA, NDAA conference, or a standalone shipbuilding-finance bill. Discovered via Federal Register indexing 1 Sep 2026 (WebFetch to federalregister.gov is blocked in this sandbox; confirmed via WebSearch snippet of the official Federal Register listing).

Senate Commerce markup of S. 1541

The concrete unlock. The bill has the cosponsors — including the SASC and Appropriations chairs — but has had no markup since its April 2025 referral. Watch the Commerce markup calendar. Recalibrated 24 Jul 2026: with roughly 64% of the package adopted into the House-passed FY2027 NDAA on 22 Jul 2026, the standalone markup matters less than it did — watch whether Commerce moves the remainder, whether Senate sponsors attempt a parallel NDAA amendment, or whether conference on H.R. 8800 becomes the SHIPS package's real venue. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026: no change; the Senate remains in recess with no Commerce Committee executive session scheduled before members return 14 Sep 2026, and no action on S. 1541.

WRDA 2026 floor time and conference

With H.R. 9497 reported 66–0 and S. 4949 approved unanimously in the same week, WRDA is the live maritime vehicle. Watch for House and Senate floor scheduling, the reported/committee-print texts, and the differences that go to conference — most notably the Senate bill's EPA State Revolving Fund reauthorization (which the House text does not carry) and its Section 408 and categorical-exclusion reforms. WRDA is also the most plausible host for maritime riders that cannot move standalone. Timeline check: APWA's Washington Report of 27 Jul 2026 noted very little programmatic language is common to H.R. 9497 and S. 4949 (the Senate text carries the DWWIA/SRF title the House bill lacks), projects staff negotiations running for months, and anticipated a final WRDA late fall or early winter with passage by year-end. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: Congress returned from its simultaneous recess on 2 Sep 2026 (House) — no WRDA floor scheduling announced. On 3 Sep 2026, House GOP leadership canceled the chamber's final two September session weeks (21 and 28 Sep) ahead of the midterms, leaving just four legislative days (14–17 Sep) before a six-week recess — the tightest floor window WRDA has faced this Congress, and a hard test of APWA's late-fall/early-winter passage timeline.

Jones Act waiver extended 90 days, narrowed to case-by-case review — next expiration mid-Nov 2026

The broad DHS Jones Act waiver issued 17 Mar 2026 at DoD's request — extended on 24 Apr to expire 11:59pm on 16 Aug 2026 and expanded to 671 commodity types — is an executive action, not legislation, but it is now shaping the legislative debate. Resolved 10 Aug 2026: the White House extended the waiver 90 days (effective 17 Aug 2026 through mid-November 2026 — over 240 cumulative days, the longest suspension in the law's history) rather than letting it lapse, but narrowed it from a blanket exemption to voyage-by-voyage DHS/CBP review, with the Pentagon now required to consult MARAD on U.S.-flag availability before each foreign-vessel approval. The waiver now runs through 11:59pm 15 Nov 2026, and the list of covered HTS commodity codes was cut from more than 600 (the April 2026 expansion) to 237. A new pre-voyage 'Vessel Availability Request' process applies: requestors must submit vessel identity and ownership, voyage dates, ports of loading and discharge, cargo description, shipment frequency, and a national-defense justification to the Department of War, MARAD and CBP. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026: the narrowed waiver took effect as scheduled, running through 11:59pm ET 15 Nov 2026. No further legislative action.

Administration FY2027 maritime package

The February 2026 Maritime Action Plan promised an Administration legislative package tied to the FY2027 budget; it could complement or supplant the standalone SHIPS Act.

Finance action on S. 1536

The 33% shipbuilding tax credit rides a separate Finance-committee vehicle; its fate is bound to the broader SHIPS package.

Workforce & K-12 provisions — the "top of the funnel"

The SHIPS Act's early-education architecture — Centers of Excellence engaging students K-12 (Sec. 617) and the Maritime CTE Advisory Committee's publicly available curricula (Sec. 613) — is the recruitment pipeline Prosody flags as the bill's most durable workforce contribution. Watch whether it survives a markup intact or is carried in a narrower workforce vehicle. New question as of 24 Jul 2026: the Kelly NDAA amendment adopted 22 Jul 2026 carries roughly 64% of the SHIPS package — whether Secs. 613 and 617 are among the surviving provisions needs verification against the engrossed H.R. 8800 text once posted. Administrative echo, 8–9 Sep 2026: MARAD designated 16 additional maritime training institutions as 2026 Centers of Excellence, expanding the existing CoE network (operating independent of Sec. 617’s legislative authority) to 48 institutions across 87 facilities in 28 states and territories, training roughly 58,000 mariners, apprentices and students annually. Confirms the K-12/workforce pipeline Sec. 617 would formalize is already running administratively; next CoE application round expected fall 2026.

FY2027 NDAA — foreign-shipyard sealift divergence

The SASC-reported S. 4784 would let DoD procure up to two bulk-fuel vessels and strategic sealift vessels from allied foreign shipyards, conditioned on those builders investing in the U.S. maritime industrial base; the House-reported H.R. 8800 carries the Golden amendment prohibiting FY2027 funds for battle-force ships built in foreign shipyards. The House passed H.R. 8800 by 216–212 on 22 Jul 2026 (Roll 278), with the SAVE Act added at engrossment per H.Res. 1438. The action moves to the Senate, still blocked after the 50–46 cloture failure of 14 Jul 2026. New context, 15 Aug 2026: on 13 Aug 2026 the President signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum, "Rebuilding the United States Navy and America's Shipbuilding Industrial Base," directing the Department of War to pursue direct investment in the shipbuilding industrial base and to pursue a "Finland model" under which foreign shipbuilders that invest in and train workers at U.S. shipyards would be temporarily permitted to build up to two ships in their own home-country yards. This is an executive action, not legislation, but signals the Administration's preferred fix. Watch whether conferees write a Finland-model-style carve-out into the reconciled NDAA text. Re-verified 17 Aug 2026: no change; no formal conference committee yet convened, and no further Senate floor action on S. 4784; both chambers remain in recess.

Next Generation Shipping Act (H.R. 9454) — clean-shipping money for MARAD

Introduced 25 Jun 2026 by Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44) and Troy Carter Sr. (D-LA-02) with a Senate companion from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): would authorize $1B per year through FY2035 (roughly $10B total) in MARAD financing for research, development, demonstration and deployment of clean shipping technologies. A Democratic messaging bill with no committee action and slim odds in this Congress, but tracked as the marker for where clean-shipping money would flow if the surface/WRDA vehicles pick up port-decarbonization provisions. Re-verified 30 Aug 2026: no hearing, markup, or Senate companion action found.

Maritime Prosperity Zones (H.R. 9911) & the shipyard investment credit (H.R. 9921) — the MPZ package

The Kelly–Moran bill introduced 23 Jul 2026 would create up to 100 Maritime Prosperity Zones taxed as qualified opportunity zones — the direct legislative vehicle for the Maritime Action Plan's MPZ recommendation. Confirmed 30 Jul 2026: Congress.gov lists H.R. 9911, referred to House Ways and Means. Moran's companion American Shipyard Investment Act is confirmed as H.R. 9921 — a new IRC §48F shipyard investment credit, 25% stepped up to 35% inside a designated MPZ. Trade-press reaction, unconfirmed against an official committee record: The Waterways Journal (28 Aug 2026) reports critics questioning both bills' zone-designation criteria as vague, warning the structure risks producing tax shelters rather than genuine shipyard investment. Confirmed 3 Sep 2026: neither bill has had committee action as of 3 Sep 2026.

USTR Section 301 China-shipbuilding port fees — suspended through 9 Nov 2026

USTR's April 2025 Section 301 action created escalating port-entry fees for Chinese-owned or -operated carriers, China-built vessels, and foreign-built vehicle carriers. Following the U.S.-China trade agreement, USTR suspended the fee schedule at $0 through 11:59pm ET on 9 Nov 2026. This is executive action, not legislation, but it shapes the same industrial-base debate as the SHIPS Act and the Maritime Prosperity Zones bill (H.R. 9911). Re-verified 17 Aug 2026: no change; the fee schedule remains suspended with no USTR action to extend, lapse, or codify it.

STAG port provisions in the surface reauthorization

H.R. 8870's Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant program (§1124) is a live port-funding vehicle for Prosody's clients. Watch for the committee-reported text / Committee Print, a House floor vote or floor amendments touching STAG or ports, Senate surface-reauthorization activity, and IIJA extension developments. Re-verified 4 Sep 2026: the House passed the Senate's continuing-resolution vehicle 370–48 on 1 Sep 2026 and the President signed it into law as the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 on 2 Sep 2026 — finalizing the IIJA surface-transportation extension to 11 Dec 2026 and confirming H.R. 8870 no longer faces a 30 Sep 2026 forcing deadline. That relief was immediately offset: on 3 Sep 2026 House GOP leadership canceled the chamber's final two September session weeks, leaving only a four-day floor window (14–17 Sep) for H.R. 8870.

Seaport Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 9229) — drone/UAS threats to seaports

Newly surfaced by discovery sweep (trade press and FMC channels). Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL-1), with cosponsor Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL-8), introduced H.R. 9229 on 9 Jun 2026 to protect U.S. seaports from unauthorized unmanned aircraft system (drone) flights, establishing restricted low-altitude airspace (under 400 feet) over critical seaport areas and directing coordinated FAA/DHS detection and mitigation authority. Referred to House Judiciary and Transportation & Infrastructure; confirmed against govinfo BILLSTATUS, with 3 cosponsors as of 1 Aug 2026. Re-verified 30 Aug 2026: still 3 cosponsors; no hearing or markup since introduction.

American Mariner Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 10153) — mariner workforce tax break

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), with Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-3), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), introduced H.R. 10153 on 27 Aug 2026, referred to House Ways and Means. The bill would extend the foreign earned income exclusion to qualifying U.S. merchant mariners with at least 90 qualifying days in a 12-month period aboard U.S.-flag vessels in foreign trade. No committee action as of 3 Sep 2026; watch for cosponsor growth and any Ways and Means hearing.

04 About This Monitor

This monitor is a standing Prosody Labs watch on U.S. maritime-revitalization legislation in the 119th Congress. Each run scans Congress.gov, the committees of jurisdiction, MARAD/DOT, the maritime trade press, and the surface-transportation reauthorization (House T&I, AASHTO Journal, Eno Transportation Weekly) for port-relevant vehicles like the STAG program, and records substantive legislative developments — introductions, cosponsor milestones, markups, floor votes, and enactments.

Baseline 13 Sep 2026 · This run 13 Sep 2026.

Primary Sources This Run

Disclaimer: Informational monitor for Prosody clients — not legal advice. Bill numbers, sponsors, and statuses are drawn from Congress.gov and the govinfo BILLSTATUS feed; cosponsor tallies move fast, so verify against Congress.gov before relying on any item.

05 Research in Action

Maritime Prosperity Zones — the working-waterfront measurement

H.R. 9911 would let Commerce designate up to 100 Maritime Prosperity Zones. Labs measured what that cap is set against: every census tract fronting the 27 lower-48 Marine Highway routes, tested against the Corps of Engineers navigation inventory — 4,959 tracts, 1,428 of them holding a working dock or fleeting area. That measurement is the evidentiary base of the MPZ Coalition's 10 asks to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The method, the denominators and the tract map are public at mpzcoalition.org/measurement.

MARAD Title XI shipbuilding-financing rule — fees cut, regs streamlined

Senate Commerce markup of S. 1541

WRDA 2026 floor time and conference

Jones Act waiver extended 90 days, narrowed to case-by-case review — next expiration mid-Nov 2026

Administration FY2027 maritime package

Finance action on S. 1536

Workforce & K-12 provisions — the "top of the funnel"

FY2027 NDAA — foreign-shipyard sealift divergence

Next Generation Shipping Act (H.R. 9454) — clean-shipping money for MARAD

Maritime Prosperity Zones (H.R. 9911) & the shipyard investment credit (H.R. 9921) — the MPZ package

USTR Section 301 China-shipbuilding port fees — suspended through 9 Nov 2026

STAG port provisions in the surface reauthorization

Seaport Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 9229) — drone/UAS threats to seaports

American Mariner Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 10153) — mariner workforce tax break

Maritime Prosperity Zones — the working-waterfront measurement

Frequently asked questions