H.R. 1782House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

International Port Security Enforcement Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 5:13 AM UTC

The International Port Security Enforcement Act amends 46 U.S.C. §70108 to tighten how the Coast Guard evaluates antiterrorism measures at foreign ports. It bars the Secretary from entering into assessment agreements with any foreign government designated as a state sponsor of terrorism or with a foreign terrorist organization, and treats ports under such governments as lacking effective antiterrorism measures, triggering sanctions. The bill also adds certification requirements and clarifies that the new limits do not restrict the Secretary’s broader authority.

Key Provisions

Prohibits the Secretary from making port‑security assessment agreements with any foreign government that is a state sponsor of terrorism or with a foreign terrorist organization.
Requires that any foreign government or international organization conducting an assessment be certified and not be a state sponsor of terrorism.
Designates ports under the jurisdiction of a state‑sponsor‑of‑terrorism government as not having effective antiterrorism measures and subjects them to immediate sanctions under section 70110(a).
Adds language limiting how the assessment provisions are interpreted, ensuring they do not restrict the Secretary’s discretion, repatriation authority, or ability to request safety measures.

Legislative Activity

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HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee

March 27, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 24, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Homeland Security Committee

March 24, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.

Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee

March 24, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee

March 27, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 24, 2023

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1782

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 24, 2023

Mr. Gimenez (for himself and Ms. Salazar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend section 70108 of title 46, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of the Department in which the United States Coast Guard is operating from entering into an agreement relating to assessing the effectiveness of antiterrorism measures at a foreign port with any foreign government that is a state sponsor of terrorism, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the International Port Security Enforcement Act.

Foreign port security assessments

Section 70108 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (f)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking provided that and all that follows through the end and inserting the following:

if—

(A)

the Secretary certifies that the foreign government or international organization—

(i)

has conducted the assessment in accordance with subsection (b); and

(ii)

has provided the Secretary with sufficient information pertaining to its assessment (including information regarding the outcome of the assessment); and

(B)

the foreign government that conducted the assessment is not a state sponsor of terrorism (as defined in section 3316(h)).

; and

(B)

by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

(3)

Limitations

Nothing in this section may be construed—

(A)

to require the Secretary to treat an assessment conducted by a foreign government or an international organization as an assessment that satisfies the requirement under subsection (a);

(B)

to limit the discretion or ability of the Secretary to conduct an assessment under this section;

(C)

to limit the authority of the Secretary to repatriate aliens to their respective countries of origin; or

(D)

to prevent the Secretary from requesting security and safety measures that the Secretary considers necessary to safeguard Coast Guard personnel during the repatriation of aliens to their respective countries of origin.

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(g)

State sponsors of terrorism and international terrorist organizations

The Secretary—

(1)

may not enter into an agreement under subsection (f)(2) with—

(A)

a foreign government that is a state sponsor of terrorism; or

(B)

a foreign terrorist organization; and

(2)

shall—

(A)

deem any port that is under the jurisdiction of a foreign government that is a state sponsor of terrorism as not having effective antiterrorism measures for purposes of this section and section 70109; and

(B)

immediately apply the sanctions described in section 70110(a) to such port.