American LNG First Act of 2026

The American LNG First Act of 2026 would exempt vessels transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from certain U.S. coastwise endorsement requirements under the Jones Act, allowing them to operate between U.S. ports without needing to be U.S.-built, -owned, or -crewed, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria. The bill explicitly excludes from this exemption any vessel owned, flagged, or crewed by Russian or Chinese nationals or governments, aiming to restrict LNG transport from those countries in domestic U.S. waterways. By amending Sections 12103 and 12112 of Title 46 of the U.S. Code, the legislation seeks to promote domestic LNG use while imposing nationality-based restrictions on foreign involvement in the U.S. LNG maritime transport sector.