Congressmen Trent Kelly (R-MS) and John Garamendi (D-CA) held a press conference on Capitol Hill April 22 with maritime labor and industry leaders to rally support for the SHIPS for America Act, addressing the importance of strengthening the U.S. shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries and the urgency of passing this legislation as soon as possible.
The following article was released by the office of Congressman John Garamendi. American Maritime Officers and other unions and maritime industry organizations participated in the press conference on April 22 on Capitol Hill.
Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS), President of the Shipbuilders Council of America Matt Paxton, and Chairman of USA Maritime Brian Schoeneman held a joint press conference on April 22 in support of the SHIPS for America Act to revitalize the maritime industry.
“Today, I am encouraged to see continued bipartisan consensus on the need to strengthen America’s maritime industry. The SHIPS Act will do exactly that. We are committed to securing passage of this legislation and to continuing the vital work of revitalizing our maritime sector,” said Congressman Garamendi. “Today’s hearing on shipbuilding is an encouraging sign of growing bipartisan momentum and interest in both revitalizing our nation’s shipbuilding industry and advancing the SHIPS Act. For over a year, we have seen promising progress, reflected in a growing coalition of supporters both on and off Capitol Hill, and we are confident that we can usher in a new era for American workers, shipbuilders, and our national security. I thank Chair Trent Kelly and the leadership on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, as well as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, for arranging this critical hearing.”
“We are a great nation because we are a great maritime nation. But for years, we’ve fallen behind in providing the maritime industry with the resources it needs. If we want to restore America’s maritime strength, it will take robust investment in our shipbuilding industry in both military and commercial. We need to put more American-built ships in the water – ships that carry goods, support our economy, and strengthen our security. We also must maintain those ships and ensure we have the workforce to crew and support U.S.-flagged vessels with American workers,” said Congressman Kelly. “We must push Congress, the Administration, industry, and all stakeholders to get this bill across the finish line. Time is of the essence. We need to take decisive steps and get this done.”
“American shipyards can and must build the fleet of the future right here at home, and the SHIPS for America Act is the catalyst we need to get us there,” said President of the Shipbuilders Council of America Matt Paxton. “By aligning a national maritime strategy with stable investment, this bipartisan legislation recognizes the national security impact of our industry and would allow us to effectively counter global distortions in the shipbuilding and ship repair markets. We have the momentum, the industry backing, and the urgency to restore American shipbuilding and ship repair, and we look forward to continuing our work with Rep. John Garamendi and Rep. Trent Kelly to see this critical mission through.”
“The SHIPS for America Act represents the most meaningful maritime legislation in the last half century or more,” said Chairman of USA Maritime Brian Schoeneman. “The critical need for a vibrant U.S. Merchant Marine and a revitalized American maritime industry is on display daily. We can’t afford to wait any longer. It’s time to get it done.”
Representatives Garamendi and Kelly are co-authors of the SHIPS for America Act, comprehensive legislation designed to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding capacity and the commercial maritime sector.
Since the introduction of the SHIPS for America Act in December, the urgency of strengthening the nation’s shipbuilding capabilities has emerged as a matter of bipartisan priority. This focus has intensified following the USTR’s findings regarding China’s dominance in global shipbuilding, as well as President Trump’s signing of a shipbuilding-related executive order and the subsequent release of the Administration’s Maritime Action Plan.
