Save Our Shipyards Act of 2025

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 industry, with a particular focus on the needs of the United States military, including shipyards, shipbuilding and repairs, harbors, and skilled workforce.

Policy recommendations— Based on the results of the investigation and study under subsection (a), the Commission shall recommend to the President and Congress policies which should be adopted to—

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.

National defense— The adequacy of the United States maritime industry to ensure the national defense.

Maritime labor— The adequacy of skilled mariners and shipyard workers, and the level of training of United States mariners at training facilities in the United States.

Impediments to strong and competitive maritime industry— Whether the Federal Government should take any legislative or administrative actions related to the United States maritime industry to strengthen our national security, including—

Appointment— The Commission shall be composed of 15 voting commissioners and 7 non-voting members appointed in the following manner:

Qualifications for voting commissioners— Voting commissioners appointed under subsection (a) shall be appointed from among United States citizens who are experts in commercial shipping, international trade, maritime industry policy and regulations, and related disciplines and who can represent United States-flagged vessel operators (including domestic passenger vessel operators), seafaring and shipbuilding labor, shipbuilders, shippers, and the financial community with expertise in maritime matters.

Qualifications of non-Voting members— One non-voting member appointed under subsection (a) shall be appointed from each of the following:

Terms of office— Members and commissioners shall be appointed for the duration of the Commission.

Initial meeting— Not later than 90 days after two-thirds of the voting commissioners have been appointed under this section, the Commission shall be considered active and the Commission shall hold a first meeting.

Vacancies— A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

Travel expenses— Members and commissioners shall serve without pay but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

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.

Quorum— For the purposes of conducting meetings of the Commission, a quorum of the Commission shall be considered the presence of 10 voting commissioners.

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.

Staff— The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such personnel as the Commission determines appropriate.

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.

Administrative support services— Upon request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under this title.

Obtaining official data— The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information (other than information required by any statute of the United States to be kept confidential 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.

Security clearances for commissioners, members, and staff— The appropriate Federal departments 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 security clearances.

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 legislative action.

Classification— The report under subsection (a) shall be transmitted in an unclassified form but may include a classified annex.