Lt. GENERAL RANDALL REED
COMMANDER, UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND (2024)
“I fully understand the importance of sealift and that force . . . there is no way I can do my mission without the commercial industry . . .I know that we need to grow that force. That force is very vital . . .”
UNITED STATES SENATOR MARK KELLY (2024)
SPONSOR, SHIPS for America Act
“We’ve always been a maritime nation, but the truth is we’ve lost ground to China, who now dominates international shipping and can build merchant and military ships much more quickly than we can. The SHIPS for America Act is the answer to this challenge. By supporting shipbuilding, shipping, and workforce development, it will strengthen supply chains, reduce our reliance on foreign vessels, put Americans to work in good-paying jobs, and support the Navy and Coast Guard’s shipbuilding needs”
UNITED STATES SENATOR TODD YOUNG (2024)
SPONSOR, SHIPS for America Act
“America has been a maritime nation since our founding, and seapower was a significant contributor to our rise to being the most powerful nation on earth. Unfortunately, the bottom line now is America needs more ships. . . Our bill will revitalize the U.S. maritime industry, grow our shipbuilding capacity, rebuild America’s shipyard industrial base, and support nationwide workforce development in this industry. This legislation is critical to our warfighting capabilities and keeping pace with China,”
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE TRENT KELLY (2024)
SPONSOR, SHIPS for America Act
“Strengthening America’s shipbuilding capacity and revitalizing our commercial maritime industry is critical to both our national security and economic resilience. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Todd Young, and Congressman John Garamendi to secure our nation’s maritime future.”
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE JOHN GARAMENDI (2024)
SPONSOR, SHIPS for America Act
“For far too long, the United States neglected our maritime industries and the critical role they play in our national and economic security – this ends with the SHIPS for America Act. I have spent over ten years working to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry in order to strengthen our national economy, create good-paying American jobs, and support our national security during peacetime or war. This bill represents the most substantial and comprehensive approach to have America compete and lead globally, and I’m proud to lead it alongside Senator Kelly, Senator Young, and Representative Kelly.”
CALL TO ACTION
History has shown that the United States needs a strong, active privately-owned U.S.-flag merchant marine to meet the economic and national security requirements of our Nation. It is the privately-owned U.S.-flag merchant marine and its U.S. citizen crews that enable the Department of Defense to do its job economically and efficiently. Our industry provides the civilian merchant mariners needed to crew the surge vessels called into action at the start of hostilities, and the commercial sealift readiness capability and civilian merchant mariners that the DOD requires to support American troops deployed anywhere in the world.
Notwithstanding an unparalleled record of patriotic service to our country, the continued viability of our industry is at risk. It is imperative that the downward trend in the number of vessels operating under the U.S. flag not only be stopped but reversed and the outsourcing of American maritime jobs to the benefit of foreign workers be ended. As stated by Senator Mark Kelly, “China is the world’s largest shipbuilder and controls the most merchant ships in the world with over 5,500 vessels. There are just 80 merchant ships flying under the American flag in international commerce. We need investments now to be ready for tomorrow — that’s why I’m developing legislation to rebuild our commercial maritime industry and U.S.-flagged international fleet.”
It is imperative that Congress and the Administration take action to revitalize the U.S.-flag merchant marine, to put Americans back to work aboard U.S.-flag vessels, and to ensure that our country has the U.S.-flag commercial sealift readiness capability and civilian licensed and unlicensed American merchant mariners needed to support the Department of Defense and American troops whenever and wherever needed. Otherwise, we will be handing over to foreign flag vessels and their foreign citizen crews the security of our nation and the safety of American troops deployed overseas.
Recognizing the importance of decisive action, , Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) are sponsoring the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. Their legislation reflects the fact that after decades of neglect, the United States has a weakened shipbuilding capacity, a declining commercial shipping fleet that is dwarfed by China, and a diminished ability to supply the U.S. military during wartime.
As stated by its Congressional sponsors, “This historic bipartisan proposal would restore American leadership across the oceans by establishing national oversight and consistent funding for U.S. maritime policy, incentivizing domestic shipbuilding, enabling U.S.-flagged vessels to better compete in international commerce, rebuilding the U.S. shipyard industrial base, and expanding the mariner and shipyard workforce.
At its core, the SHIPS for America Act would:
- Coordinate U.S. maritime policy by establishing the position of Maritime Security Advisor within the White House who is responsible for leading an interagency Maritime Security Board tasked with making whole-of-government strategic decisions for implementing a National Maritime Strategy.
- Establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund that would reinvest duties and fees paid by the maritime industry into maritime security programs and into the infrastructure supporting maritime commerce.
- Establish a national goal of expanding the U.S.-flag international fleet by 250 ships in 10 years by creating the Strategic Commercial Fleet Program comprised of U.S.-flag, American crewed, and domestically built merchant vessels that can operate competitively in international commerce.
- Enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce by establishing a Rulemaking Committee on Commercial Maritime Regulations to eliminate the regulatory red tape that diminishes their competitiveness.
- Requires that U.S. government-funded cargo move aboard U.S.-flag vessels, and a portion of commercial goods imported from China be carried on U.S.-flag ships.
- Accelerate U.S. leadership in next-generation ship design, manufacturing processes, and ship energy systems by establishing the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation, which would create regional hubs across the country.
- Make historic investments in the maritime workforce by establishing a Maritime and Shipbuilding Recruiting Campaign; investing in long-overdue infrastructure needs for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; and supporting State Maritime Academies and Centers for Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The bill also makes long-overdue changes to streamline and modernize the U.S. Coast Guard’s Merchant Mariner Credentialing system.
We ask all Members of Congress to cosponsor and support the SHIPS for America Act