HR 4952
Ensuring Coast Guard Readiness Act
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Bill overview
This bill allows the Coast Guard to build vessels in shipyards located outside the United States under specific circumstances. It creates an exception to the existing rule prohibiting such construction, allowing the President to authorize it if it’s deemed vital for national security. The exception is limited to shipyards in NATO countries or countries with mutual defense treaties with the U.S., and the cost of construction must be less than building domestically. Furthermore, the bill requires the Coast Guard to certify that the foreign shipyard isn't owned or operated by a Chinese entity before construction can begin.
Key provisions
- Authorizes the President to approve construction of Coast Guard vessels in foreign shipyards.
- Limits eligible shipyards to those in NATO countries or countries with U.S. mutual defense treaties.
- Requires construction costs to be less than domestic shipyard costs.
- Mandates a 30-day congressional notification period before contracts are awarded.
- Requires the Commandant to certify the shipyard is not owned by a Chinese company.
Who is affected
- United States Coast Guard
- Shipyard owners (in eligible foreign countries)
- The President
- Congress
- National Security
Notable changes
- Expands the existing prohibition on foreign vessel construction to allow for exceptions.
- Introduces a certification requirement regarding shipyard ownership to address national security concerns.
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4952
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To authorize an exception to the prohibition on the construction of Coast Guard vessels in foreign shipyards, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Coast Guard Readiness Act
.
The President may authorize exceptions to the prohibition in subsection (a) when the President determines that it is in the national security interest of the United States to do so, provided that—
the foreign shipyard concerned is located in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member country or a country in the Indo-Pacific region that is party to a mutual defense treaty with the United States; and
the cost of the construction concerned is less than the cost would be if such construction occurred in a domestic shipyard.
The President shall transmit notice to Congress of any such determination, and no contract may be made pursuant to the exception authorized until the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date the notice of such determination is received by Congress.
Section 8679(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting and section 1151(b) of title 14
after in subsection (b)
.