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Washington, D.C. – Opening remarks, as prepared, of Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS) from today’s hearing entitled “Future of United States Maritime: Review of Fiscal Year 2027 Maritime Administration and Federal Maritime Commission Budget Requests”:

Today’s hearing occurs at a moment when shipping, ocean-linked supply chains, and the maritime industrial base are all topics of interest to the broader public. World events are once again reminding us that American companies and consumers are woven into global supply chains. These supply chains are susceptible to disruption, and disrupted supply chains become expensive supply chains. 

Challenges exist in our nation’s ability to respond to disruptions independently. The United States flagged deep sea merchant fleet is small and international in its ownership. Our commercial shipyards are in dire need of modernization in terms of both capacities and capabilities.

The United States relies on global transportation networks, but we do not control these routes. We do not build the ships that carry trade. We do not build the containers the ships carry, or the cranes that load and unload ships. 

Fortunately, the Trump Administration and Congress are working to promote building ships domestically, training more mariners, increasing the United States flag fleet, identifying new sources of cargo, and reinvigorating the American maritime industrial base.

The Ships for America Act is bicameral, bipartisan legislation that has strong support, especially among Members of this subcommittee. Similarly, the Administration outlined a path forward with the release of America’s Maritime Action Plan earlier this year. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Ships for America Act, and I am prepared to support legislation that implements parts of America’s Maritime Action Plan.

Further, I welcome any ideas that ease regulations, reduce compliance burdens, or establish the incentives to bring more ships into the United States flag registry. 

The Maritime Administration is responsible for promoting the United States maritime industry. We are fortunate the current Administrator is an alumnus of Kings Point, has sailed as a Merchant Mariner, possesses extensive experience as a maritime executive, and most importantly of all, has been thinking about these issues his whole career. 

Captain Carmel is joined this morning by Laura DiBella, the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. This is Chairman DiBella’s first time testifying before this subcommittee. I congratulate her on her new role and look forward to working with her during her tenure.

The ocean-linked supply chain exists to move cargo, and United States shippers benefit when the marketplace for ocean transportation is competitive.

The Federal Maritime Commission is an independent agency. The mission of the FMC is to ensure competition for ocean liner services. I note that the quiet work of the Office of the Administrative Law Judge is resulting in accountability for carrier misconduct and is establishing precedents that will dictate reasonable practices for decades to come. Given the volume of cases before the Administrative Law Judges and the consequences of those proceedings, I am very interested in learning if the Office of the Administrative Law Judge is being properly supported.   

The United States has not given the maritime industrial base the necessary priority for far too long. The stars have aligned to create a broad consensus that now is the time to address that neglect. We must not waste this moment or opportunity.

Click here for more information from today’s hearing, including video and witness testimony.