On 5 April 2026, the White House released its fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget request, proposing US$1.5 trillion in total national security resources, and positioning American maritime revitalization as a centerpiece of the...more
4/10/2026
/ Appropriations Bill ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Budget ,
Federal Funding ,
Government Agencies ,
Infrastructure ,
Maritime Transport ,
National Security ,
New Legislation ,
Ports ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Shipyard Industry ,
Trump Administration ,
Vessels
The Trump administration’s waiver of the nation’s domestic cabotage laws under the family of laws known as the Jones Act1 is highly unusual for both its length (60 days) and its breadth (659 categories of products).2 While...more
3/25/2026
/ Compliance ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Government Agencies ,
Immigration Procedures ,
International Tax Issues ,
International Trade ,
Jones Act ,
Maritime Transport ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Taxation ,
Trump Administration ,
Vessels ,
Visa Requirements ,
Visas ,
Waivers
The White House has released America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP), proposing a bold whole of government blueprint to revitalize US commercial shipbuilding, expand the US-flag fleet, and strengthen the maritime industrial...more
2/25/2026
/ America First Trade Policy ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Domestic Industry Requirement ,
Executive Orders ,
International Trade ,
Maritime Transport ,
National Security ,
Ports of Entry ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Shipbuilding ,
Shipyard Industry ,
Tariffs ,
Transportation Industry ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
After more than 20 years of negotiations, the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (the Agreement) has now entered into force. The Agreement prohibits WTO member states from subsidizing various...more
Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order 14276 titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is soliciting public comments on how to improve fisheries management,...more
While most of the attention surrounding the Supreme Court’s (the Court) decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo (Loper), overturning the longstanding Chevron doctrine, has focused on the increased potential for successful...more
On 26 January 2024, Washington, D.C.’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement tax abatements to be made available to developers of...more
When Congress enacted H.R.7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23 NDAA), it included several provisions that addressed the requirements for so-called discretionary waivers of...more
In response to supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, on 16 June 2022, the U.S. Congress enacted the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA) to increase the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission...more
Our Public Policy and Law group is pleased to provide you with our 2022 U.S. Congressional Calendar.
The calendar is a compilation of the House and Senate schedules in a color-coded format showing periods when the House...more
On 9 July 2021 the Biden Administration released an Executive Order (EO) on promoting competition in the American economy. The latest White House effort directs federal agencies to strengthen oversight of several key...more
In honor of World Oceans Day, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) reintroduced legislation aimed at addressing the ocean impacts of climate change and reforming federal ocean management to better...more
Mitigating the negative effects of climate change has been a signature issue of the Biden Administration, and if Thursday morning’s hearing on the decarbonization of the maritime industry is any indication, it will also be a...more
Hydrogen—the smallest molecule, but one that holds the potential to be an energy superhero and play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions and slowing climate change.
The H2 Handbook provides a comprehensive...more
Lawmakers have scheduled their first oversight hearing on the issue of decarbonization in the maritime industry. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Transportation is slated...more
As the Biden Administration finds its stride in the first 100 days, we are starting to see movement on several of its key priorities. Chief among them: pivoting to a clean energy economy. A campaign that promised investments...more
Last January, policy professionals from our K&L Gates Maritime Group published a long list of their predictions for the year ahead. This year we are coming back with one major prediction: In the next four years, issues...more
On Tuesday, 20 October, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2020,...more
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of direct payments for those hit hardest by ongoing trade disputes, offering financial support to certain sectors of the U.S. seafood industry. USDA...more
The U.S. Congress returns to work from August break this week, with just four months and fewer than 50 legislative days left in the 116th Congress and its most critical legislative priorities still unresolved. Amongst the...more
As we attempt to mitigate the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our global supply chain, stakeholders should be actively considering downstream impacts. In this current environment, considering prospective...more
With a presidential election looming and a crowded congressional calendar on the horizon, July is shaping up to be one of the busiest months in recent history for the American maritime industry. ...more
Recent changes in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by Congress offer additional flexibility for fishing boat owners and their crewmembers to qualify for PPP loans. The changes came just prior to the June 30...more
The Jones Act is the foundational law of the American maritime industry, and compliance with it is essential whether you are a vessel operator in the U.S. domestic trades or a foreign operator serving the U.S. market. The...more
The Maritime Administration (“MarAd”) has completed the implementation of significant changes in the Federal Ship Financing Program commonly known as Title XI, as a result of which the program offers improved economic...more