Sec. 611. Maritime and shipbuilding recruiting campaign
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The purposes of this section are to— address the shortage of workers in the maritime sector and stimulate growth in the United States Merchant Marine and shipbuilding industries by providing funding for a comprehensive marketing, recruiting, and public relations campaign; and expand and nurture a robust maritime workforce that enhances the national security and strategic sealift readiness of the United States. The Maritime Administrator, in consultation with the Maritime Security Board, through contracts described in subsection (c), shall develop and deploy branding, content, advertising buys, and local and national engagement strategies to implement the campaigns described in subsection (d).
The contracts described in this subsection shall be made to reputable marketing, recruiting, and public relations firms through a competitive bidding process. The Maritime Administrator, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out targeted campaigns under this section to— promote the virtues of work in the merchant marine of the United States for the purpose of sailing in international trade, including Military Sealift Command mariner positions, and the critical need for skilled workers in the maritime industry, and to attract workers to such industry; and promote the virtues of work in the shipbuilding industry of the United States, highlighting the critical need for skilled workers in the shipbuilding industry, and to attract workers to such industry.
The campaigns under this section shall focus on the following objectives: Emphasize the importance of maritime and shipbuilding work for national security. Showcase the numerous opportunities available in the maritime industry and the shipbuilding industry. Highlight the shortage of workers in the maritime industry and the shipbuilding industry. Seek out new and non-traditional audiences and platforms to bring workers from different backgrounds and with different skill sets into the maritime industry and shipbuilding industry.
Promote the excitement, benefits, and appeal of a career in the maritime industry and the shipbuilding industry. Inform potential workers of the points of entry available to join and receive training for such a career, including— the United States Merchant Marine Academy; State and regional maritime academies described in chapter 515 of title 46, United States Code; merchant mariner and shipbuilding labor organization training facilities; merchant mariner and shipbuilding apprenticeship programs approved by the Secretary of Labor; shipbuilding industry training programs; certain community colleges and private institutions of higher education; maritime training high schools; and Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education designated by the Maritime Administration.
Inform potential workers of sources of financial assistance for training for individuals interested in joining the maritime industry and the shipbuilding industry. Attract workers to the maritime and shipbuilding industries. Highlight successes in the United States maritime and shipbuilding industries. Each campaign under this section shall target a diverse audience, including— potential workers interested in maritime industry careers or shipbuilding industry careers; educational institutions and their students considering vocational training in the maritime industry and shipbuilding industry, including kindergarten through grade 12 levels; veterans and individuals seeking career transitions; and the general public to raise awareness about the importance of the maritime and shipbuilding industries.
Not later than 30 days after the last day of each quarter of each fiscal year during which a campaign is carried out under this section, the firm selected under subsection
(b)shall submit a report with respect to such quarter to the Maritime Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress detailing the progress, outreach, and impact of each campaign carried out under this section during such quarter and the effectiveness of each such campaign in increasing applications for employment in the maritime and shipbuilding industries of the United States. The firm selected under subsection
(b)shall submit a comprehensive final report not later than 60 days after the conclusion of all campaigns carried out under this section. The Maritime Administrator shall initiate the competitive bidding process described in subsection
(b)not later than 180 days after the date that appropriations are first made available for this section. There are authorized to be appropriated out of the Maritime Security Trust Fund, established under section 9512 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to the Maritime Administrator, for each of fiscal year 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, $15,000,000 to carry out this section, of which— $10,000,000 shall be for the program established under subsection (d)(1) (work in the United States Merchant Marine); and $5,000,000 shall be for the program established under subsection (d)(2) (work in the shipbuilding industry). There are authorized to be appropriated out of the Maritime Security Trust Fund, established under section 9512 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to the Maritime Administrator, for each of fiscal year 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, and 2034, $25,000,000 to carry out this section, of which— $15,000,000 shall be for the program established under subsection (d)(1) (work in the United States Merchant Marine); and $10,000,000 shall be for the program established under subsection (d)(2) (work in the shipbuilding industry).