1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Close Agency Loopholes to the Jones Act of 2023 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) In 1920, Congress enacted the Merchant Marine Act (chapters 121 and 551 of title 46, United States Code), commonly referred to as the Jones Act . (2) In 1953, Congress enacted the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. ) applying the Constitution, laws, and civil and political jurisdiction of the United States to the outer Continental Shelf. (3) In 2020, Congress enacted section 9503 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ) affirming that application of the Constitution, laws, and civil and political jurisdiction of the United States to the outer Continental Shelf also applies to non-mineral energy resources and exploring for, developing, producing, transporting, or transmitting such resources. (4) Therefore, the Jones Act prohibits the use of a non-Jones Act qualified vessel for the provision of any coastwise transportation of merchandise to or from a port of the United States (including territories or possessions to which the coastwise laws apply) to any point on the outer Continental Shelf, or between any two points on the outer Continental Shelf. (5) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (hereinafter referred to as CBP ) is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the Jones Act. CBP has issued ruling letters and other interpretative guidance to requesting parties that provide the description of proposed activities. (6) Unlike most federal agencies, CBP is required by section 625(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 ( 19 U.S.C. 1625(c) ) to follow its past interpretive guidance and treatments of substantially identical transactions, unless it institutes a public notice and comment process to modify or revoke that interpretative guidance. As a result, CBP and market participants treat as binding ruling letters and interpretative guidance in addressing whether and how the Jones Act applies