Congress Confronts U.S. Shipbuilding Crisis as Maritime Buildout Meets Reality Check

A rare joint House hearing on Wednesday laid bare both the ambition and the friction behind Washington’s growing push to revive American shipbuilding, as administration officials promoted an expansive maritime buildout while congressional watchdogs warned chronic delays, rising costs and industrial bottlenecks continue to undermine the effort.

The joint hearing, “Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base,” brought together the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, underscoring how commercial shipbuilding, naval readiness and industrial policy are increasingly converging in Washington.

“This is not abstract,” Chairman