# 119-hr-8615: FLEETS Now Act

119-hr-8615, FLEETS Now Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40] (R-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8615
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8615
- Congress: 119
- Title: FLEETS Now Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-30
- Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40] (R-CA)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**This bill would boost domestic shipbuilding capacity** by pushing the U.S. to cut reliance on Chinese supply chains and coordinate allies to produce and maintain ships together. It would also reorganize diplomacy and create programs to import foreign shipbuilding expertise for the U.S. workforce. - U.S. shipbuilding workers and trainees would get a new exchange-visitor program that brings in marine engineers, naval architects, deck-plate professionals, and other experts. Agencies would have up to two years to set the program up. - U.S. shipyards and ports would be targeted for allied investment and supply-chain diversification through a designated international shipbuilding coordinator. The bill would add harbors and ports to eligible infrastructure under the BUILD Act and require the President to name the coordinator within 90 days. - Diplomats and regulators would be reorganized under a new Assistant Secretary for Water, Environment, and Space Affairs and a matching bureau to lead ocean, fisheries, and maritime diplomacy. The bill would also require overseas investigations into unfair maritime practices and direct U.S. advocacy at the International Maritime Organization to reshape Net-Zero rules and protect U.S. shipbuilding.

## Cosponsors (7)

- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] (R-AS), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4] (R-MI), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] (R-SC), 2026-07-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. James, John [R-MI-10] (R-MI), 2026-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7] (R-PA), 2026-08-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8] (R-IN), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New shipping investigations and China reports: benefit, medium. If enacted, State and the Federal Maritime Commission would place investigators in selected big shipping registry countries to probe unfair practices. They would look at price-fixing, market manipulation, refusals to deal, denials of port entry to U.S. ships, flags of convenience, and anticompetiti…
- U.S. maritime policy at the IMO: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Secretary of State would direct the U.S. Ambassador to push the International Maritime Organization to adopt an "energy-all" approach. The U.S. would oppose binding net-zero 2050 targets, carbon penalties, and regional schemes it finds unreasonable. The U.S. would also seek to remov…
- Allied shipbuilding cooperation and investments: benefit, medium. If enacted, the President would name a lead official within 90 days to attract allied investment and coordinate shipbuilding plans. That official would work with partners to share ship designs, speed repairs, and coordinate ports during crises. The plan would include workforce training, joint R&D,…
- DFC financing for ports and harbors: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would allow the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to support harbors, ports, and related infrastructure. This adds ports to the list of project types eligible for DFC financing under the BUILD Act. The change does not itself appropriate money, but it would let port authoriti…
- Temporary shipbuilding expert exchanges: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would add a temporary exchange-visitor category for shipbuilding experts. It would cover marine engineers, naval architects, electrical engineers, deck-plate professionals, surveyors, project managers, QA/QC staff, and similar experts. The program would start on enactment and e…
- State Department bureau for oceans and space: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would create an Assistant Secretary for Water, Environment, and Space Affairs and a Bureau of Water, Environment, and Space Affairs. The person serving as the current Oceans Assistant Secretary would become the new Assistant Secretary on enactment. Future appointments would req…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250
- 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act
- 119-hr-1329: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-8615 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8615)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9250)
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [119-hr-1329: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1329)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8615 (as of 2026-09-21).