U.S. import and export data shows that the majority of the country's trade is on foreign-flagged vessels.
The Congressional calls to consider prioritizing U.S.-flagged vessels come at a time when the Iranian-backed Houthis continue to attack shipping in the Red Sea.
Other nations, including U.S. ally France, have already declared their priority is to escort French-linked vessels after facing nationalistic pressure.
"It could also be argued that directing military action to defend U.S. commercial shipping is within this power.
However, most vessels transiting through the Red Sea are not U.S. ships, which raises questions about the extent to which these authorities can be exercised," they wrote.
Persons:
Gerald R, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Mohammed Al, —, Biden's, Charles, Bud, Darr, Salud Carbajal, Hapag Lloyd, Carbajal's, Tim Kaine, Todd Young, Chris Murphy, Mike Lee
Organizations:
United States, Ford, Anadolu, Getty, Capitol, U.S, MDS Transmodal, Congressional, Gaza, Senate Foreign Relations, White House, Representatives, MSC, U.S . Navy, Maersk, White, Senate Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Senate, Relations, Counterterrorism
Locations:
Red, U.S, Iranian, Iran, France, Marshall, United States, East, South Asia, Central Asia