Extending Limits of United States Customs Waters Act of 2025
Key claim: The bill extends the statutory definition of U.S. customs waters from 12 to 24 nautical miles by incorporating the territorial sea and contiguous zone limits set by Presidential Proclamations 5928 and 7219.
Abstract
(S221 · 119th Congress) Extending Limits of United States Customs Waters Act of 2025 This bill extends the customs waters territory of the United States to 24 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States. Under current law, customs waters means waters within four leagues (equivalent to 12 nautical miles) of the coast of the United State. This bill provides statutory authority for two presidential proclamations to extend the customs waters to 24 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States. Specifically, the bill revises the statutory definition of customs waters to include the waters within (1) the territorial sea of the United States to the limits permitted by international law in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 5928, dated December 27, 1988, that extended such limits to 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States; and (2) the contiguous zone of the United States to the limits permitted by international law in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 7219, dated September 2, 1999, that extended such limits to 24 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States. Latest action (2025-01-23): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Why this matters
Extending statutory customs waters to 24 nautical miles doubles the maritime zone in which CBP and Coast Guard can exercise customs authority over vessels, cargo, and duty enforcement, closing a long-standing gap between statute (12 nm) and presidential proclamations (24 nm). For importers and maritime carriers, this affects boarding, search, and seizure jurisdiction near U.S. shores; for enforcement, it aligns customs authority with the contiguous zone already recognized under international law.