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H.R. 8021119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Mar 20, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 8021 carves out a Jones Act exception for foreign oil tankers, while barring Russian and Chinese vessels entirely.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
HR 8021 would create an exception to the Jones Act, the federal law requiring that goods shipped between U.S. ports travel on American-built, American-owned, American-crewed vessels. The exception applies specifically to ships carrying crude oil and petroleum products. Ships owned, flagged, or crewed by Russian or Chinese nationals or their governments are explicitly prohibited from using this exception.
Oil and gas companies that ship petroleum between U.S. locations, such as from Gulf Coast refineries to East Coast ports, would gain access to a larger pool of available ships. American shipbuilders and sailors who work on Jones Act vessels could face increased competition in the oil transport sector.
Because Jones Act rules currently limit oil shippers to a smaller pool of American-built tankers, passage could reduce shipping costs for petroleum transport. Economists disagree on how large any indirect effects on consumer fuel prices would be.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.