FACTSHEET - An Agenda for Regaining American Maritime Competitiveness and Naval Power

Recent inci- and dirigibles useful for moving cargo at sea), dents and numerous war games have cast doubt and on training the next generation of naval on whether the Navy can still sustain peace or architects and shipyard workers to operate win in war. [...] Congress and states can attract FIVE ACTIONS THAT CONGRESS AND American merchant mariners with favorable STATES SHOULD TAKE TO PARTICIPATE tax incentives and personal subsidies, who IN A NATIONAL MARITIME AGENDA remain in the maritime sector while sustain- In order to implement a national maritime ing U. [...] Congress should Congress can support states by enacting support states in expanding their National regulations and initiatives to incentivize Guard with a naval component that will investment in the maritime industry and participate in the State Partnership Program. [...] 270 April 12, 2024 | 2 heritage.org THE CURRENT NATIONAL MARITIME too few young workers willing to work in the SECTOR IS A STRATEGIC RISK challenging conditions of America’s anti- China is spending significantly more on its quated waterfronts, and too few Americans defense than the $229 billion in 2022 reported with the requisite technical skills (including in the annual defense report on China. [...] This spending l Too few American merchant mariners are has funded a massive decades-long Chinese available to serve, and in the event of war, the military build-up and modernization campaign U.