The Defending American Property Abroad Act would ban vessels that have used ports in Western Hemisphere countries from operating in U.S. ports and waters if those countries have seized or restricted American-owned land needed to access those foreign ports. The bill applies only to Western Hemisphere nations with active free trade agreements with the United States and targets situations where a foreign government has nationalized, expropriated, or otherwise taken control of property owned by U.S. citizens or companies. The Department of Homeland Security would be required to designate prohibited ports within 60 days of enactment and would enforce the ban by preventing affected vessels from importing goods, docking, loading or unloading cargo and passengers, or receiving maintenance services in American ports. The legislation mandates annual reports to Congress from the Department of Homeland Security, State Department, U.S. Trade Representative, and Director of National Intelligence documenting enforcement actions and assessing the trade, economic, and national security impacts on affected countries. The bill contains no specific funding allocations but prohibits federal agencies from spending appropriated funds on activities that would undermine enforcement of these port restrictions.
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