Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) introduced the Shipbuilding Investment and Workforce Act, legislation which aims to strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing by encouraging long-term private investment through the creation of Maritime Prosperity Zones (MPZs).
The legislation follows recent plans to build a modern, large-scale shipbuilding project along Erie’s bayfront to support the U.S. Navy. A new shipyard in Erie is projected to create 1,000 jobs, plus an additional 2.67 jobs in other parts of the local economy for every shipyard job.
Kelly’s legislation also supports the Trump administration’s goals to expand commercial shipbuilding capacity in the United States. Currently, the U.S. accounts for less than 1% of global commercial shipbuilding market share while China accounts for more than 53%, according to the 2025 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“Expanding America’s shipbuilding production is vital for economic growth and national security. Currently, China, not the United States, has the world’s largest maritime fleet. The Shipbuilding Investment and Workforce Act takes a major step toward making America the dominant ship producer in our hemisphere, if not the world,” said Rep. Kelly. “Erie’s maritime past, its skilled manufacturing workforce, and geographic location make our region a perfect place to construct a new U.S. naval shipyard. I want to thank the Trump administration for their bold vision that made Maritime Prosperity Zones possible.”
“U.S. strength abroad depends on the revitalization of American shipyards. China embarked on a decades-long strategy to dominate an industry critical to both commerce and national defense. Now is the time for America to compete for the workforce and investments that build ships in the first place,” said Rep. Moran. “The Shipbuilding Investment and Workforce Act gives American investment a reason to bet on American shipyards again, and that’s how we rebuild an industry China has spent years trying to monopolize.”
You can find bill text here and a one-pager here.
Related Audio
Joel Natalie of TalkErie interviews U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), July 23, 2026
