Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act
This bill allows a foreign-built vessel that transports passengers between U.S. ports and places to obtain an endorsement that entitles the vessel to engage in coastwise trade. To obtain the endorsement under current law, a vessel that transports passengers between domestic locations generally must be built in the United States.
To enable passenger vessels that were not built in the United States to 
         receive coastwise endorsement, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Jobs in American Ports 
Act''.

SEC. 2. COASTWISE ENDORSEMENT FOR PASSENGER VESSELS.

    (a) In General.--Section 12112(a)(2)(B) of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in clause (iii), by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
        ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) is a vessel that transports 
                        passengers between ports or places in the 
                        United States to which the coastwise laws 
                        apply, either directly or via a foreign port; 
                        and''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 12121 of title 46, United States 
Code, is repealed.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in the amendments made by this 
section shall be construed to exempt a vessel that transports 
passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the 
coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port, from any 
applicable law of the United States except as explicitly provided in 
such amendments.
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Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act
A bill to enable passenger vessels that were not built in the United States to receive coastwise endorsement, and for other purposes.
Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act
Sen. Lee, Mike