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S 4533

Coast Guard Personnel Equipment Act

119th Congress Introduced by Lindsey Graham and 1 co-sponsor

The Coast Guard would be explicitly subject to American-made sourcing rules and procurement authority, including DHS involvement when not operating under the Navy.

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4533

Overview

  • Bill: S.4533 (119th Congress, 2nd Session)
  • Short title: Coast Guard Personnel Equipment Act
  • Purpose: Amend title 10, United States Code to require the Coast Guard to buy certain articles from American sources, expanding the purchasing requirement beyond the Department of Defense to include any branch of the Armed Forces, and clarifying procurement authority when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy.
  • Introduced: May 14, 2026 by Sen. Graham; co-sponsored by Sen. Whitehouse

Main Purpose and Intent

  • Expand the federal “buy American”/domestic sourcing requirement to include the Coast Guard, ensuring that certain articles purchased for Coast Guard personnel come from American sources.
  • Extend procurement authority and reference points to encompass the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, aligning its sourcing requirements with those applicable to other military branches.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Section 2 (amendment of 10 U.S.C. § 4862):

    • Subsection (a): Replace the current reference to “Department of Defense” with “Department of Defense or any branch of the Armed Forces.”
    • Subsection (c): Replace “the Secretary of the military department concerned” with “the Secretary concerned.”
    • Subsection (g):
    • Paragraph (1): Replace “Department of Defense” with “Department of Defense or any branch of the Armed Forces.”
    • Paragraph (2)(B): Replace “The Secretary of Defense” with “The Secretary of Defense or, with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
    • Subsection (h):
    • Paragraph (2)(B): Replace “Secretary of Defense” with “Secretary of Defense or, with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
    • Paragraph (3): Replace “Secretary of Defense” with “Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
    • Subsection (k): Replace “the Secretary of the military department concerned” with “the Secretary concerned.”

  • Overall effect: The Coast Guard becomes explicitly subject to sourcing requirements that apply to American-made articles, with procurement authority clarified to involve the Secretary of Homeland Security when the Coast Guard is not operating under the Navy, and with cross-referencing to the broader Department of Defense and Armed Forces framework.

Who Is Affected

  • Primary: United States Coast Guard, particularly in its procurement of equipment and articles for personnel.
  • Affected Parties/Officials:
    • Secretaries: Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary concerned (as applicable under the amended framework).
    • Coast Guard leadership and Federal procurement officers who administer equipment purchases.
  • Indirectly: Domestic manufacturers and suppliers of gear and equipment used by Coast Guard personnel, due to the emphasis on American sources.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Introduced in the Senate on May 14, 2026; referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • Action history: Read twice; referred to committee (no floor passage or Senate vote indicated in the provided text).
  • Timing implications: No explicit effective date or phase-in schedule provided in the text. If enacted, the changes would apply to Coast Guard procurement practices consistent with the updated references to American-sourced articles.

Potential Impacts and Implications

  • Policy Impact: Strengthens domestic sourcing requirements for Coast Guard equipment, aligning it with broader defense procurement priorities to favor American-made goods.
  • Operational Impact: Procurement processes may adjust to reflect the new sourcing requirements, including possible coordination with Homeland Security when Coast Guard operates outside Navy service.
  • Economic Impact: Potentially increased opportunities for American manufacturers of Coast Guard gear; possible implications for cost, supply chain, and procurement timelines depending on domestic availability.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to current 10 U.S.C. sourcing rules or provide a side-by-side redline showing exact wording changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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