VALLEJO, CA — Congressman John Garamendi convened a maritime summit last week, pulling together military officers, labor leaders, educators, and elected officials from the local level up through Washington to talk through what it will take to rebuild the Bay Area’s maritime industry. Garamendi’s message was blunt: this isn’t really about any single ship or carrier. “Rebuilding the maritime industry is a national and economic security requirement,” he said. “This isn’t just about a new battleship or aircraft carrier, it’s about our country’s ability to build, maintain and crew the maritime capabilities our country relies on.

Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) and Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) last week introduced the Transit Workforce Development Act, legislation that would restructure how federal bus grant funding can be deployed to address workforce shortages and training deficits confronting public transit agencies nationwide. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where Garamendi serves as a senior member. The legislation targets existing grant mechanisms under 49 U.