Senator Young discusses the SHIPS Act, importance of commercial shipbuilding during commerce hearing

Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM

This news release provided by Senator Young's office.

Wednesday, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, discussed the importance of the SHIPS for America Act and restoring America’s commercial shipbuilding during a Commerce Committee hearing.

“The President has made building ships in America a priority, and I have legislation, the SHIPS for America Act, that would set the conditions for restoring American dominance,” said Senator Young.

Young also highlighted America’s disadvantage in shipbuilding capacity compared to China and emphasized the need to strengthen U.S. maritime industrial capability.

“The numbers are pretty disturbing. China has - the numbers vary - but roughly 5,500 ships that can operate in ocean-level shipping,” said Senator Young. “We have much less than that, 80 roughly, and we have the capacity to build only five a year. So, we need to up our game, and the SHIPS Act would help us build 250 over the next 10.”

The hearing considered nominees to serve in the Maritime Administration, the Federal Maritime Commission, and the Department of Commerce, including Mr. Timothy Petty, of Indiana, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

Full video of Young’s remarks can be viewed here.