Lawmakers introduce bill to create shipbuilding commission

Three House members on Thursday introduced a bill that would create a new maritime industrial base commission to study and make recommendations on the U.S. maritime industry.

The Save Our Shipyards (SOS) Act of 2025, would specifically “investigate the condition of the U.S. maritime industry and impediments to its growth. With a laser focus on the needs of the American military, the Commission will develop actionable policy recommendations to revitalize our maritime industrial base,” the original sponsors said in a joint statement.

This comes after President Donald Trump announced a new White House office focused on improving domestic military and commercial shipbuilding during a joint address to Congress on March 11. The following day, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he did not know of those plans ahead of time, but said he was encouraged by the focus.

The bill cites voting commissioners should be experts in commercial shipping, international trade, maritime industry policy and regulations and who can represent United States-flagged vessel operators, seafaring and shipbuilding labor, shipbuilders, shippers, and the financial community with expertise in maritime issues.

The bill was introduced by Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and House Armed Services Committee Members Don Davis (D-N.C.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.). The bill directs the commission to investigate and study the condition of the U.S. maritime industry “and any impediments to a strong and competitive United States maritime industry, with a particular focus on the needs of the United States military, including shipyards, shipbuilding and repairs, harbors, and skilled workforce.”

If the bill is passed, the commission is due to deliver a report on its activities and recommendations within a year after its first meeting. 

The commission would consist of 15 voting and seven non-voting members: five voting members appointed by the president; seven non-voting members appointed by the president; three voting members appointed by the Senate majority leader and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively; and two voting members appointed each by the minority leaders of the Senate and House. 

A version of this story was first posted by Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily.