The House of Representatives passed the Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 (H.R. 7084) on Mar. 27, a bill that aims to protect United States-owned infrastructure assets in foreign countries by allowing the President to deny entry to vessels that visit ports or terminals expropriated from U.S. persons by governments in Western Hemisphere countries with which the United States has free trade agreements.
The legislation is intended to deter foreign governments from nationalizing or expropriating American property without compensation, an issue that lawmakers say threatens U.S. investments and ownership rights overseas.
H.R. 7084 was introduced by Representative August Pfluger with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Member Representative Tracy Mann as an original cosponsor. The bipartisan measure had previously been approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on January 21, 2026.
Committee Chairman Sam Graves said, “The Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill that protects American assets abroad by allowing a President to impose consequences on countries in the Western Hemisphere who take property from American companies and claim it as their own without paying for it.” Graves continued, “This legislation holds Western Hemisphere Countries responsible for their actions, and I commend Congressman Pfluger for leading this effort to protect American investment and ownership rights abroad.”
A notable case cited involved a U.S. company that opened a quarry near Playa del Carmen, Mexico in 1986 and built supporting infrastructure over several decades. In September 2024, the Mexican government designated this property as a Naturally Protected Area (NPA), limiting its use while opening additional quarries operated by Mexican companies nearby.
Under H.R. 7084, vessels calling at ports or terminals taken from U.S.-owned entities may be denied entry into U.S. ports until those properties are paid for or returned to their rightful owners. The authorities provided under this act are similar to existing powers Congress has given presidents for imposing economic sanctions—a common tool in diplomacy—while preserving other avenues such as formal dispute resolution.
