46 U.S.C. § 60505 — Retaliatory suspension of commercial privileges

(a) General Authority. The President may proclaim a suspension of commercial privileges for vessels of a foreign country, but only when two things are both true: (1) vessels of that foreign country have been given the same commercial privileges in United States ports and waters that United States vessels get, except the privilege of engaging in coastwise commerce (trade between U.S. ports); and (2) United States vessels are denied commercial privileges in that foreign country's ports or waters that the foreign country gives to its own vessels.

(b) Application. The suspension applies only to the same commercial privileges that were denied to U.S. vessels in the foreign country's ports or waters. It applies only to the same class of that foreign country's vessels as the class of U.S. vessels that was denied privileges.

(c) Effective Date. The President states the effective date of the suspension in the proclamation itself.

(d) Penalties. (1) Seizure and forfeiture: If the master, an officer, or an agent of a foreign vessel^* does something for that vessel^* in U.S. ports or waters that violates the proclamation, the government may seize the vessel and the goods on it, and forfeit them to the United States. (2) Fine or imprisonment: Anyone who opposes a government official enforcing this section can be fined under title 18, imprisoned for up to two years, or both.