Bills · 119th Congress · Transportation and Public Works

American Cargo for American Ships Act

Where it stands

  1. Introduced3/11/25
  2. Passed HousePassed 6/9/25
  3. Senate
  4. President
  5. Law

Passed the House 373–14 on June 9, 2025 (Roll Call 157 →). Received in the Senate on June 10, 2025. No Senate action since.

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Roll calls on this bill

Votes on passage
HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · 6/9/25Suspension of the rulesA fast-track House procedure, usually for measures expected to have broad support. Debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments can be offered, and it needs a two-thirds vote of members voting — not a simple majority. A yes vote passes the bill.Rules of the House, Rule XV, clause 1 ↗
Passed
  • Democratic187 Yea · 2 Nay · 23 Not voting
  • Republican186 Yea · 12 Nay · 21 Not voting
  • Independent / Other0 Yea · 0 Nay · 0 Not voting
Official summary (CRS)

American Cargo for American Ships Act

This bill requires 100% of equipment, materials, and commodities procured, furnished, or financed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and transported on ocean vessels to be transported on U.S.-flagged commercial vessels. (Current cargo preference laws require that a minimum percentage of federally financed ocean cargo be transported on U.S.-flagged commercial vessels. For civilian agencies and agricultural cargo, the minimum is generally 50%.)

Specifically, the bill imposes the requirement on DOT (for cargo it contracts for or procures for itself) and recipients of DOT funding (for cargo DOT has financed with federal funds or advanced funds for the recipient to obtain). As under current cargo preference laws, the requirement applies to the extent those vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates for U.S.-flagged commercial vessels, in a manner that will ensure fair and reasonable participation of U.S.-flagged commercial vessels by geographic area.

Full text on congress.gov ↗
Sponsor
Rep. Salud O. Carbajal ( Democrat · CA-24)
Cosponsors
1
Introduced
3/11/25
Policy area
Transportation and Public Works

What happens next

The Senate must pass the same text, then it goes to the President.

If it isn't enacted by Jan 3, 2027, it expires when the 119th Congress ends.

All actions (17)
  1. 3/11/25Introduced in House
  2. 3/11/25Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
  3. 3/12/25Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
  4. 4/2/25Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Discharged
  5. 4/2/25Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  6. 4/2/25Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
  7. 6/6/25Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-147.
  8. 6/6/25Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 116.
  9. 6/9/25Mr. Ezell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  10. 6/9/25Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2546-2547)
  11. 6/9/25DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2035.
  12. 6/9/25At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  13. 6/9/25Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2557-2558)
  14. 6/9/25Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 373 - 14 (Roll no. 157). (text: CR H2546-2547)
  15. 6/9/25On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 373 - 14 (Roll no. 157). (text: CR H2546-2547)
  16. 6/9/25Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  17. 6/10/25Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.