I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2125 
To establish a National Commission on the Maritime Industrial Base, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2025 
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee (for himself, Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia, and Mr. 
DAVIS of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in ad-
dition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a National Commission on the Maritime 
Industrial Base, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Save Our Shipyards 
Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘SOS Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a commission to be known as the 
‘‘National Commission on the Maritime Industrial Base’’ 
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or the ‘‘SOS Commission’’ (in this Act referred to as the 
‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS. 
(a) INVESTIGATION AND STUDY.—The Commission 
shall complete an investigation and study the condition of 
the United States maritime industry and any impediments 
to a strong and competitive United States maritime indus-
try, with a particular focus on the needs of the United 
States military, including shipyards, shipbuilding and re-
pairs, harbors, and skilled workforce. 
(b) POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.—Based on the re-
sults of the investigation and study under subsection (a), 
the Commission shall recommend to the President and 
Congress policies which should be adopted to— 
(1) achieve the national goal of a strong United 
States maritime industry which will help to provide 
for the national defense; 
(2) revitalize the United States naval fleet and 
maintain that fleet at a level sufficient to contribute 
to the national defense; 
(3) foster a viable United States shipbuilding 
industry to provide an industrial base for meeting 
present and future military and civilian shipbuilding 
needs; and 
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(4) reduce the loss of seafaring and ship-
building jobs for United States citizens so as to en-
sure the existence of a reliable maritime labor force. 
SEC. 4. SPECIFIC MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED. 
In investigating and studying under section 3, the 
Commission shall investigate and study the following: 
(1) CURRENT CONDITION OF UNITED STATES 
MARITIME INDUSTRY.—The current condition of the 
United States maritime industry, including how the 
condition of the industry is likely to change over the 
next 10 years following the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) NATIONAL DEFENSE.—The adequacy of the 
United States maritime industry to ensure the na-
tional defense. 
(3) MARITIME LABOR.—The adequacy of skilled 
mariners and shipyard workers, and the level of 
training of United States mariners at training facili-
ties in the United States. 
(4) IMPEDIMENTS TO STRONG AND COMPETI-
TIVE
MARITIME
INDUSTRY.—Whether the Federal 
Government should take any legislative or adminis-
trative actions related to the United States maritime 
industry to strengthen our national security, includ-
ing— 
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(A) the tax and regulatory burden on the 
US maritime industry; 
(B) incentives to encourage investment in 
United States shipyards and shipbuilding; 
(C) incentives for personnel to enter the 
skilled labor workforce for shipbuilding; 
(D) the effect of subsidies and other finan-
cial assistance by foreign governments to their 
vessel operators and shipbuilders; 
(E) the effects of great power competition 
and a potential war on United States naval and 
maritime forces; and 
(F) the prioritization of national security 
related matters in regulatory review and ap-
proval processes. 
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP; ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 15 voting commissioners and 7 non-voting mem-
bers appointed in the following manner: 
(1) 5 voting commissioners appointed by the 
President. 
(2) 7 non-voting members appointed by the 
President who shall be chosen from the list described 
in subsection (c). 
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(3) 3 voting commissioners appointed by the 
majority leader of the Senate. 
(4) 3 voting commissioners appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
(5) 2 voting commissioners appointed by the 
minority leader of the Senate. 
(6) 2 voting commissioners appointed by the 
minority leader of the House of Representatives. 
(b) 
QUALIFICATIONS
FOR
VOTING
COMMIS-
SIONERS.—Voting commissioners appointed under sub-
section (a) shall be appointed from among United States 
citizens who are experts in commercial shipping, inter-
national trade, maritime industry policy and regulations, 
and related disciplines and who can represent United 
States-flagged vessel operators (including domestic pas-
senger vessel operators), seafaring and shipbuilding labor, 
shipbuilders, shippers, and the financial community with 
expertise in maritime matters. 
(c) QUALIFICATIONS OF NON-VOTING MEMBERS.— 
One non-voting member appointed under subsection (a) 
shall be appointed from each of the following: 
(1) The Navy. 
(2) The Coast Guard. 
(3) The United States Maritime Service. 
(4) The Marine Corps. 
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(5) The United States Naval War College. 
(6) The Maritime Administration. 
(7) The United States Merchant Maritime 
Academy. 
(d) TERMS
OF OFFICE.—Members and commis-
sioners shall be appointed for the duration of the Commis-
sion. 
(e) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 90 days after 
two-thirds of the voting commissioners have been ap-
pointed under this section, the Commission shall be con-
sidered active and the Commission shall hold a first meet-
ing. 
(f) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 
be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 
was made. 
(g) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members and commis-
sioners shall serve without pay but shall receive travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in ac-
cordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(h) CHAIR.—The President, in consultation with the 
majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, shall designate the Chair of the 
Commission from among its voting members. 
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(i) QUORUM.—For the purposes of conducting meet-
ings of the Commission, a quorum of the Commission shall 
be considered the presence of 10 voting commissioners. 
(j) COMMISSION PANELS.—The Chair shall establish 
such panels consisting of voting commissioners as the 
Chair determines appropriate to carry out the functions 
of the Commission. 
(k) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint and fix 
the pay of such personnel as the Commission determines 
appropriate. 
(l) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request of 
the Commission, the head of any department or agency 
of the United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, 
any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under 
this title. 
(m) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 
request of the Commission, the Administrator of General 
Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimburs-
able basis, the administrative support services necessary 
for the Commission to carry out its duties under this title. 
(n) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 
may secure directly from any department or agency of the 
United States information (other than information re-
quired by any statute of the United States to be kept con-
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fidential by such department or agency) necessary for the 
Commission to carry out its duties under this title. Upon 
request of the Commission, the head of that department 
or agency shall furnish such nonconfidential information 
to the Commission. 
(o) SECURITY CLEARANCES
FOR COMMISSIONERS, 
MEMBERS, AND STAFF.—The appropriate Federal depart-
ments or agencies shall cooperate with the Commission in 
expeditiously providing to commissioners, members, and 
staff appropriate security clearances to the extent possible 
pursuant to existing procedures and requirements, except 
that no person may be provided with access to classified 
information under this Act without the appropriate secu-
rity clearances. 
SEC. 6. REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the Commission holds the first meeting 
under section 5, the Commission shall transmit to the 
President and Congress a report on the activities of the 
Commission, including recommendations made by the 
Commission under section 3(b) which shall be considered 
by the relevant congressional committees for possible legis-
lative action. 
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(b) CLASSIFICATION.—The report under subsection 
(a) shall be transmitted in an unclassified form but may 
include a classified annex. 
SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 
30 days after the transmittal of the report under section 
6. 
Æ 
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