SCA supports move to create Defense Infrastructure Fund

Written by Marine Log Staff
letter calls on Biden to prioritize U.S. maritime

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The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national trade association representing the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry, has issued a statement in support of Sen. Richard Shelby’s (R-Ala.) recently filed Amendment 2535 to the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act of 2021.

That amendment includes $25.35 billion for a Defense Infrastructure Fund that would support “Navy and Coast Guard Shipyard Infrastructure Improvement.”

“America’s shipyards are a national asset, critical to our nation’s infrastructure and security, ensuring there is domestic capacity to build, repair and maintain the fleets of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Army, and other Federal agencies—both in times of peace and times of conflict. Shelby’s Amendment 2535 to the infrastructure bill provides crucial funding to bolster our nation’s shipbuilders and the more than 400,000 hard working Americans across the industry and U.S. industrial base. The Shipbuilders Council of America emphatically encourages the Senate to adopt this essential national security amendment,” said Shipbuilders Council of America President, Matthew Paxton.

SCA also issued a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on behalf of its membership. The text reads:

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell,

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) is the national trade association representing U.S. shipyards engaged in the construction and repair of military and other government vessels, commercial vessels, and those companies providing goods and services to the industry. The Council represents more than 40 companies that own and operate over 80 shipyards, with facilities on all three U.S. Coasts, the Great Lakes, the inland waterways system, Alaska, and Hawaii. SCA also represents over 100 partner and supplier members that comprise part of the broader domestic shipyard industrial base.

As a national security asset, the U.S. shipyard industry ensures there is domestic capacity to build, repair and maintain critical national security assets including the fleets of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Army and other government agencies. Maintaining this capacity is crucial to our military’s success in times of international conflict.

Shipyards and their associated supply chains are essential economic drivers in their communities. A recent study by MARAD titled, The Economic Importance of the U.S. Private Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry, found that “Including direct, indirect, and induced impacts, on a nationwide basis, total economic activity associated with the [shipyard] industry reached 393,390 jobs, $28.1 billion of labor income, and $42.4 billion in GDP in 2019.”

SCA supports S.A. 2535, the amendment offered by Senator Shelby, which includes $25.35 billion for a Defense Infrastructure Fund that would support “Navy and Coast Guard Shipyard Infrastructure Improvement.”

By reinforcing funding for programs that support the shipyard industrial base, you will be supporting almost 400,000 jobs in the United States, and promoting the critical national and economic security benefits associated with the industry.

Therefore, we encourage you and your fellow Senators to support the adoption of Senator Shelby amendment S.A. 2535 to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

Thank you,

Matthew O. Paxton
President
Shipbuilders Council of America
SCA
20 F Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20001
Phone: (202) 737-3234
Fax: (202) 737-0264

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