Bill

H.R. 7084 (119th): Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026

Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 This bill authorizes the President to prohibit the entry of a vessel into the United States if the vessel has transited any U.S. port, harbor, or marine terminal that has been nationalized or expropriated (e.g., seized) by a Western Hemisphere country that has a free trade agreement with the United States. Under the bill, the President may prohibit the entry and operation of a vessel if it has called at any port, harbor, or marine terminal that was owned, held, or controlled by a U.S. entity or individual, but has been nationalized or expropriated by the government of a country that is located in the Western Hemisphere and has a free trade agreement in effect with the United States. The prohibition ends when the President determines that (1) the applicable country has restored ownership of the property that had been nationalized or expropriated, (2) the applicable country has provided mutually acceptable compensation for the nationalized or expropriated property, (3) the conditions for the prohibition are no longer satisfied, or (4) the dispute has been otherwise resolved to the satisfaction of the President. The bill permits certain foreign vessels that are otherwise prohibited from entering the United States under this bill or current law to enter if the vessel is experiencing an emergency (involving the vessel or an individual on the vessel) and in certain instances where access to a covered facility was granted by a U.S. property owner.

house · Substantive

Rankings updated October 26, 2026, 11:44 AM ET · Votes through September 30, 2026
Exported candidates: 719 | Filings on file, by office: H: 5838 | P: 1467 | S: 1567. These counts include every filing for that office, so they are larger than the ranked list. One person can have more than one filing. Non-voting delegates are left out.

Official source

Summary

Recorded summary

The bill lets the President bar foreign vessels from entering U.S. ports, and from operating in U.S. waters, if the vessel has called at a port, harbor, or marine terminal that was U.S.-owned or controlled and was later nationalized or expropriated by a Western Hemisphere country with a U.S. free trade agreement. The prohibition ends when the President determines the property has been restored, mutually acceptable compensation has been paid, the conditions no longer apply, or the dispute is otherwise resolved to his satisfaction. Emergency entries and certain entries tied to access granted by a U.S. property owner are exempted.

expropriationforeign_policyjusticeproperty_protectionproperty_rightsstewardshiptrade_sanctionsvessel_access

Theological note: The bill raises real concern for justice in protecting lawfully owned property from seizure, which Scripture treats as a matter of honest dealing and equity. It also grants broad executive discretion to impose coercive economic sanctions on third-party vessels and to end them at presidential discretion, which implicates foreign-policy prudence, proportionality, and the restraint of executive power. These considerations are issue relevance, not a final candidate judgment.

Scoring

How this bill is scored

Debt and war Cloture and Tier 1 Procedural votes Scoring mechanics

Roll

Recorded votes

Roll 105 · 27-Mar-2026 10:27 AM · On Passage · Passed

Yea 247 · Nay 164 · Other 20

Yea

Nay

Other

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