Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Pfluger
Introduced
Summary
Blocks use of foreign ports nationalized or expropriated by certain governments. It also expands U.S. trade law to treat seizures and nationality-based discrimination against U.S. assets as grounds for trade action.
Show full summary
- Shipping and passenger operators: Vessels that were loaded at or previously held at a designated prohibited port cannot import or release goods into the United States, dock in U.S. ports, release passengers, or receive servicing such as repair, refueling, or provisioning. This applies to passenger vessels that carry 149 or more passengers.
- U.S. businesses and investors: Expands Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to add direct or indirect nationalization or expropriation, denial of due process, arbitrary or capricious treatment, and discrimination based on nationality as actionable harms that can trigger trade remedies.
- Geographic scope and who is protected: Targets ports and related infrastructure in Western Hemisphere free-trade partners and defines "United States person" to include citizens, lawful permanent residents, and entities at least 50 percent U.S.-owned.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Stronger trade tools against expropriation abroad
If enacted, the bill would expand Section 301 trade rules to cover harms to U.S. persons’ assets abroad. It would treat expropriation or nationalization, arbitrary treatment, denial of due process, and discrimination by nationality as grounds for action. This could give the U.S. more ways to seek trade remedies when a foreign government mistreats U.S.-owned property. It would not provide direct payments to owners or investors.
New bans on ships using seized foreign ports
If enacted, DHS, with Treasury and State, would have 60 days to list "prohibited" foreign port sites and publish them. A site would count only if it is in a Western Hemisphere country with a U.S. free trade deal, is reachable only through land owned or controlled by a U.S. person, and the foreign government acted on or after January 1, 2024 to seize or void related rights. Once listed, the President would block any vessel loaded there or previously held there from importing or releasing goods in the United States. Passenger vessels tied to those sites could not dock or release passengers in the U.S.; passenger vessels means ships with sleeping rooms for 149 or more passengers. Those vessels also could not dry dock, refuel, provision, repair, or get other services in the U.S. These steps could reroute cargo and cruises and may raise some shipping and travel costs.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pfluger
TX • R
Cosponsors
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Rouzer
NC • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Strong
AL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Collins
GA • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Carter (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Carter (GA)
GA • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Moore (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Palmer
AL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Aderholt
AL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Edwards
NC • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
McGuire
VA • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Goldman (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Burchett
TN • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Luttrell
TX • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Kean
NJ • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Cline
VA • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Figures
AL • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Steube
FL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Rogers (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Yakym
IN • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Gimenez
FL • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Moore (UT)
UT • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Rutherford
FL • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Wied
WI • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Mann
KS • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Moran
TX • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Westerman
AR • R
Sponsored 11/18/2025
Jack
GA • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in