S. 832 – International Port Security Enforcement Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 4:53 AM UTC

The International Port Security Enforcement Act amends the law governing Coast Guard port security assessments to bar the Secretary from making agreements with foreign governments that are designated state sponsors of terrorism. It also treats ports under those governments as lacking effective antiterrorism measures and applies existing sanctions to them. The changes affect how the Coast Guard evaluates foreign port security and restricts cooperation with certain hostile regimes.

Key Provisions

Prohibits the Coast Guard Secretary from entering into port‑security assessment agreements with any foreign government that is a state sponsor of terrorism or a foreign terrorist organization.
Requires that any foreign government or international organization conducting an assessment must not be a state sponsor of terrorism and must provide sufficient information about the assessment.
Designates ports under the jurisdiction of a state sponsor of terrorism as not having effective antiterrorism measures for purposes of the law.
Mandates the immediate application of sanctions under section 70110(a) to ports deemed under a state sponsor of terrorism.
Clarifies that the amendment does not limit the Secretary’s discretion to conduct assessments, repatriate aliens, or request safety measures for Coast Guard personnel.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 16, 2023

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 16, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 16, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 16, 2023

II

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 832

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 16, 2023

Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Scott of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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.

1.

Short title

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

2.

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 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.

.