Can Congress Revive Shipbuilding and Maritime Strategy?
Jul 19, 2024
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Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Mike Waltz discuss reviving American shipbuilding and maritime strategy. They highlight the need for legislation, regulatory reform, and appointing a maritime czar. The podcast covers challenges in expanding shipyard infrastructure, icebreakers in the Arctic, and the importance of strengthening naval capabilities against China's military expansion.
Bipartisan efforts aim to revive American shipbuilding industry, led by Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Mike Waltz.
US faces challenges in maintaining robust merchant marine fleet compared to China's shipbuilding growth.
Legislation focuses on incentivizing domestic shipbuilding, promoting workforce development, and addressing supply chain vulnerabilities.
Deep dives
Efforts to Revitalize American Shipbuilding
The podcast episode discusses the bipartisan efforts of Mark Senator Kelly and Congressman Mike Walts to revitalize American shipbuilding. Coming from different backgrounds, they both share a common interest in reviving the merchant marine industry. Their collaboration aims to address the decline in the US maritime shipbuilding capacity, compared to the significant growth in China's shipbuilding industry. By focusing on bipartisan and bicameral approaches, they strive to enhance American shipbuilding capabilities.
Significance of US Merchant Marine and Naval Readiness
The conversation highlights the critical link between the US merchant marine industry and naval readiness. Congressman Walts emphasizes the atrophied state of the strategic sea lift fleet and the increasing dominance of the Chinese Navy, which strategically exploits its commercial fleet for military purposes. In contrast, the US faces challenges in maintaining a robust merchant marine fleet and shipbuilding capacity, essential for national security and power projection.
Legislation to Support American Shipbuilding
Senator Kelly and Congressman Walts are working on comprehensive legislation to support American shipbuilding. The proposed legislation includes incentivizing the construction of ships in US shipyards with American crews, promoting workforce development, and creating tax incentives for domestic shipbuilding. The aim is to strengthen the US maritime industry, enhance national security, and address supply chain vulnerabilities.
Challenges and Solutions in Shipbuilding
The episode also addresses regulatory challenges in shipbuilding, including permitting processes that delay infrastructure expansions. Proposed solutions involve streamlining regulations, fast-tracking approvals, and exploring innovative approaches like leasing or buying abroad to address immediate capacity limitations. The discussion underscores the importance of addressing cultural and leadership issues within the Navy to enhance operational readiness and efficiency.
United States' Strategic Position in the Arctic
The strategic significance of the Arctic region is highlighted, focusing on the geopolitical competition and economic opportunities it presents. The lack of US icebreakers poses challenges for maintaining presence and securing interests in the Arctic, where Russia and China are actively expanding their capabilities. The conversation stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy, including enhancing maritime capabilities, addressing regulatory hurdles, and fostering interagency coordination to strengthen US position in the Arctic.
Promoting Skilled Trades and Workforce Development
The dialogue extends to promoting skilled trades and workforce development in maritime industries. Emphasizing the importance of vocational training and apprenticeships, the podcast explores opportunities for young individuals to enter well-paying maritime careers without traditional four-year degrees. Efforts to incentivize recruitment and retention in maritime jobs, such as tax exemptions and educational benefits, are considered essential for fostering a skilled and motivated maritime workforce.
A sailor from a landlocked state and a soldier from a state with the country's second longest coastline are trying to accomplish something transformative for American seapower. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) are leading an important bi-partisan and bi-cameral effort to revitalize American shipbuilding and maritime strategy. They were kind enough join Ryan for a substantive and wide-ranging conversation.
You can read their report on national maritime strategy here (pdf).
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