Lawmakers introduce bill aimed at stimulating domestic maritime jobs

Two U.S. House representatives have filed a bill to promote programs in two-year community and technical colleges to stimulate jobs in the domestic maritime industry.    Two U.S. House lawmakers have introduced a bill to promote programs in two-year community and technical colleges in an effort to stimulate jobs in the domestic maritime industry.
   “In our district, we have a surplus of maritime jobs and not enough people with the skills and training to fill them,” said Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, who represents the Port of Houston area and drafted the bill along with Republican Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia.
   “The industry is continuing to invest and grow along the Port of Houston, and we want to make sure that our constituents have the opportunity to take these high skilled jobs,” Green added.
   It’s estimated that there are more than 56,000 direct maritime-related jobs in the Port of Houston alone.
   Other congressman also backed the bill, including Reps. Ted Poe, R-Texas, and Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif.
   The bill, dubbed the “Domestic Maritime Centers of Excellence Act,” specifically calls on the U.S. Department of Transportation to assist two-year colleges and trade schools along the coastal United States with instituting and expanding maritime-related training programs.