S. 406

Ensuring Naval Readiness Act

Shown here: Introduced in Senate (2025-02-05)

To authorize an exception to the prohibition on the construction of naval vessels in foreign shipyards, and for other purposes.

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Ensuring Naval Readiness Act”.

2. Exception to prohibition on construction of naval vessels in foreign shipyards

Section 8679 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “subsection (b)” and inserting “subsections (b) and (c)”; and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “to do so.” and inserting the following: “to do so, provided that—

(A) the foreign shipyard concerned is located in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member country or a country in the Indo-Pacific Region that is party to a mutual defense treaty with the United States; and
(B) the cost of the construction concerned is less than the cost would be if such construction occurred in a domestic shipyard.

(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3) Before the construction of a naval vessel, or a major component of the hull or superstructure of a naval vessel, may commence at a foreign shipyard pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to Congress a certification that the foreign shipyard is not owned or operated by a Chinese company or a multinational company domiciled in the People’s Republic of China.

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