Courtney, Palazzo Lead Effort to Defend American Shipbuilders

Press Release

Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) and Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), along with 30 bipartisan House colleagues, sent a letter this week to Senate leadership urging opposition to an amendment that would strip domestic construction requirements that help strengthen America's shipbuilding industry. In addition to building and maintaining approximately 40,000 commercial vessels, private shipbuilders provide critical maintenance services and capacity for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard fleets--capacity that would be threatened if build requirements under the Jones Act are undone.

"This measure…would gut the nation's shipbuilding capacity and have far reaching impacts across the nation," the members wrote. "Building and maintaining these complex naval vessels, and retaining a capable and experienced U.S. workforce are essential to the safety and security of our nation."

"This amendment…would have a detrimental effect at a time when our domestic commercial shipbuilding sector is seeing a surge in new vessel construction. We urge the rejection of this misguided proposal, and look forward to working with you to continue to grow a robust and vibrant domestic shipbuilding industry," they wrote.

The Jones Act requires that ships transporting goods between U.S. ports be constructed and operated by American crews. In addition to supporting shipbuilding and maintenance capacity and the skilled workforce that industry employs, the Jones Act also ensures that ships navigating America's coastal and inland waterways and ports abide by U.S. laws and operate under the oversight of the U.S. government.

The 40,000 Jones Act vessels operating in the domestic trades support nearly 500,000 American jobs, move more than 880 million tons of cargo annually, and account for almost $100 billion in annual economic impact, according to the Shipbuilders Council of America and the American Maritime Partnership.

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