March 10, 2026
Dear Representative:
On behalf of our affiliated unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers who build, operate, and maintain our nation’s transportation networks, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), urges you to sign the bipartisan letter being circulated by Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT-2) requesting full funding for the Maritime Security Program (MSP) at the authorized amount in the Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill and in addition, that a defense 302(b) allocation in the authorized amount be provided to the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee to ensure sufficient funding for MSP as has been done in preceding years.
MSP is a vital part of our military sealift capability, ensuring that trained U.S. citizen mariners are available in times of crisis or disaster. This program offers a stipend to commercial shipping companies, allowing them to continue operating U.S.-flagged vessels at a fraction of the cost it would take for the federal government to replicate a similar maritime shipping capacity.
This capacity is essential for both our national security and humanitarian efforts. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in promoting good middle-class jobs in the maritime sector. Without a U.S. fleet, jobs currently held by U.S. mariners would likely be outsourced to countries with fewer labor and safety protections, where mariners often work under poor conditions for low pay. MSP helps ensure a robust pool of U.S. mariners and safeguards the existence of a domestic maritime industry, along with its significant economic benefits.
For these reasons, we urge you to sign the Kelly-Courtney FY 27 MSP appropriations letter that is attached, which requests full funding of the program to provide the necessary support for our military sealift capacity and the U.S. commercial maritime sector.
To sign this letter please contact Semaj Redd (Semaj.Redd@mail.house.gov) with Representative Kelly and Owen McGeary (Owen.McGeary@mail.house.gov) with Representative Courtney by Tuesday, March 17th.
Sincerely,
Greg Regan, President
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO