U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), a longtime backer of the U.S. Merchant Marine and the entire American maritime industry, recently received accolades from a major trade association. The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), which represents the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, presented the congressman with its Maritime Leadership Award in mid-May in the nation’s capital. According to the SCA, “The award is given annually to national leaders who demonstrate exemplary dedication and support for the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry.”
“Louisiana is a foundational maritime state and House Majority Leader Scalise is a tireless champion and advocate for the shipyard industry, industrial base and the dedicated maritime workforce,” said SCA President Matthew Paxton. “It is with great honor that we present this award to recognize the significant contributions that Leader Scalise has made for our industry – a thriving industry that drives nearly $8 billion in economic output in his home district alone and $18.2 billion statewide.”
Throughout his career in Congress, Scalise has been influential in advancing policies that support the domestic shipbuilding industry and U.S. mariners, such as increased funding for the Maritime Security Program and maintaining the Jones Act – a foundational national security law. Scalise is also an ardent supporter of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, and has pushed for added appropriations for naval shipbuilding as a critical component of the U.S. defense industrial base. “Leader Scalise has also strongly advocated for the industry’s workforce and job training programs to ensure the highly skilled workforces needed are prepared to construct the vast number of vessels in the U.S. fleet – everything from tugboats to aircraft carriers,” the SCA said in a news release.
Scalise stated, “I am honored to receive the Maritime Leadership Award and thank the Shipbuilders Council of America for their commitment to the maritime industry in Louisiana. I will continue to fight for commonsense policies that reduce red tape for our maritime industry and keep these high-skilled, high-paying jobs in Louisiana.”
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