Posted on July 24, 2023
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully included an amendment to strengthen Buy America requirements for Navy shipbuilding in the must-pass 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment, in line with her American Made Navy Act, ensures that by 2033, any new Navy ship purchased uses 100% domestically produced materials, like propulsion systems, shipboard components, couplings, shafts, support bearings, and more. The NDAA has passed Congress annually since 1961, and the Senate is on track to pass the legislation as soon as next week.
“Wisconsin has a proud tradition of shipbuilding, producing world-class products made by American workers that defend our freedom at home and abroad,” said Senator Baldwin. “By strengthening Buy America requirements for our shipbuilding industry, we can ensure that taxpayer dollars are not only going toward keeping us safe, but also supporting American jobs, growing our economy, and maintaining a defense industrial base that is critical to our national security.”
Senator Baldwin’s amendment will ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars go towards expanding the capacity and number of domestic shipbuilding suppliers, strengthening the supply chain that is critical for domestic shipbuilding and, in turn, America’s national security. Specifically, the Baldwin amendment:
- Increases domestic source content for shipbuilding programs to 100% within the next ten years.
- Requires Navy contracts to account for a 100% domestic content requirement in order to be considered compliant with “Made in America” policies during the research and development stage for all ship programs.
- Requires annual reports on country of origin tracking pertaining to Navy shipbuilding programs.
- Contains waiver provisions to account for any instance in which domestic components are not reasonably available.
Senator Baldwin has long fought to strengthen Buy America requirements including in the shipbuilding industry. Previously, Senator Baldwin led the Made in America Shipbuilding Act, legislation to strengthen Buy American requirements for the federal government’s purchase of ships.
