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H.R. 667 119th Congress House

Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024

Official title: To amend title 46, United States Code, to allow transportation of merchandise in noncontiguous trade on foreign-flag vessels, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 23, 2025 Introduced by: Ed Case Democratic · Hawaii See on congress.gov
Transportation and Public Works
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 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 4, 2025
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E90-91)
Jan 24, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Jan 23, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced in House
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What's happening now February 4, 2025

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E90-91)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024

This bill establishes a limited exception to coastwise laws to allow foreign-flag freight vessels to transport merchandise domestically to or from a port in the noncontiguous United States. The bill also addresses various issues related to foreign-flag freight vessels engaged in coastwise trade (i.e., domestic waterborne trade between U.S. ports). 

Under the coastwise laws, commonly known as the Jones Act, a freight vessel may not transport merchandise between U.S. ports unless it is U.S.-built, at least 75% owned by U.S. citizens, and mostly crewed by U.S. citizens. The bill authorizes qualifying foreign-flag vessels to transport merchandise between (1) a port in the contiguous United States and a port in the noncontiguous United States (i.e., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory or possession); or (2) two ports in the noncontiguous United States. 

Under the bill, all foreign-flag freight vessels operating in U.S. coastwise trade must comply with the (1) minimum international labor standards applicable to U.S. seafarers, and (2) same environmental standards that apply to U.S. vessels.

The bill authorizes such operators to participate in the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation program on behalf of masters and crew members they employ.

The bill also requires foreign-flag vessel owners and operators engaging in coastwise trade to identify an agent for service of process, abide by U.S. tax and other laws, and maintain specified documentation on board. Additionally, lawsuits against such vessels alleging personal injury or death must be brought in U.S. district court. 

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Lobbying activity 17

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 17 filings →
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Republican 1
D
Torres, Ritchie
New York · Aug 1, 2025
 R
Moylan, James C.
Guam · Jan 23, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 667: Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-667/
MLA
"H.R. 667: Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-667/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 667, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-667/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 667: Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-667/)
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