{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-co-leads-labor-caucus-in-calling-for-strong-action-to-protect-american-shipbuilding", "Golden co-leads Labor Caucus in calling for strong action to protect American shipbuilding", "2025-03-25", "2025", "2025-03", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared F. Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", "golden", "https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is co-leading an effort, with more than 60 of his colleagues in the Congressional Labor Caucus, to urge U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer to take strong action in its ongoing investigation into China\u2019s unfair trade practices in the commercial shipbuilding sector.\n\n\u201cWe write in support of swift and decisive action to address unfair and predatory practices by the Chinese government in the shipbuilding, maritime, and logistics sectors that jeopardize the United States\u2019 national security and defense industrial base,\u201d the members wrote in a letter to Greer last night. \u201cChina\u2019s discriminatory practices and cheating have forced U.S. shipbuilders, their suppliers, and workers to compete on an uneven playing field and have contributed to the decline of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.\u201d\n\nIn 2024, USTR accepted a petition filed by a coalition of five labor unions and initiated a Section 301 investigation into the acts, policies, and practices of China relating to competition in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. In January 2025, USTR concluded that China\u2019s targeting for dominance in the shipbuilding sector is unreasonable, and the agency is currently soliciting comments on its proposals to address China\u2019s actions.\n\n\u201cWe strongly urge USTR to actively pursue strong actions in a swift and decisive manner. Action should also be durable to provide shipbuilders, shipyards, suppliers, and workers the confidence to invest in capacity, skills, and the future. \u2026 A bold response from the United States to China\u2019s unfair dominance in the shipbuilding sector will send a clear signal: the United States will not stand for discriminatory trade and economic practices, particularly when they harm U.S. workers, businesses, and our national and economic security,\u201d concluded the lawmakers in Monday\u2019s letter.\n\nThe union representing union workers at Bath Iron Works applauded Golden\u2019s effort on behalf of American shipbuilders.\n\n\u201cAs a Maine IAM Local S6 ship pipefitter by trade, I know firsthand that America\u2019s shipbuilding workers are the most dedicated, experienced and talented in the world,\u201d said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. \u201cThe time is now to invest in our shipbuilding workforce and push back against China's predatory trade practices that have attempted to dominate this critical industry. Alongside champions like Congressman Golden, the IAM Union and our generational workforce stand ready to begin the next great chapter of U.S. shipbuilding.\u201d\n\nMonday\u2019s letter was led by Golden and Labor Caucus Vice-Chairs Reps. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), John Garamendi (CA-08) and Val Hoyle (OR-04); Caucus members Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Joe Courtney (CT-02); and Co-Chairs Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Mark Pocan (WI-02).\n\nGolden and the Labor Caucus have been at the forefront of efforts to ensure strong action to support American shipbuilding in the face of unfair competition from China. He co-led an initial letter in April 2024 urging USTR to accept the initial petition urging USTR to investigate China\u2019s shipbuilding practices. In October 2024, he co-led another effort of more than 70 members supporting the investigation and urging USTR to implement strong remedies to protect American workers from China\u2019s unfair practices in the shipbuilding industry.\n\nA full copy of the letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:15:27Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-co-leads-labor-caucus-in-calling-for-strong-action-to-protect-american-shipbuilding"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6733098309487104, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}