Congressman John Garamendi (D-Calif. 3rd District) has a plan that he says will boost the economy and help secure the nation's shores: shipbuilding. Garamendi said the construction of more maritime vessels in America will put the U.S. ahead both economically and with national security.

"We need to have a domestic shipbuilding fleet, and we can do that by using the export of natural gas and oil and require that a small percentage of that export be on American-built ships," Garamendi told Cheddar.

The congressman acknowledges that investing in ships that will use and transport fossil fuels appears to run counter to climate change efforts, but said, "We know for a fact that we're going to be having an oil economy and a natural gas economy for some time into the future." He argued that in the time it takes for America to transition to more renewable energies his plan would not only offer homeland protection but also add jobs domestically.

"If we move to solve the climate crisis, we will create millions of new jobs in America, and if we couple that with shipbuilding and with infrastructure, this economy will boom in the years ahead," he added. 

As the U.S. remains in economic crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic, stimulus talks in Congress have continued to stall, and more than 12 million people remain jobless, Garamendi said his plan would provide some relief.

"For every regard, this is a huge jobs program — some 2,000 mariners on those ships that would be exporting oil, as well as the shipyards, which will probably be several thousand jobs in the shipyards," he said.

Share:
More In Business
Verizon is Planning to Expand 5G Network in Rural Areas
Verizon is taking steps to speed up its 5G network in rural areas. The company said it plans to extend its C-band 5G network across a larger suburban and rural footprint, meaning faster speeds for customers in those areas.
Elizabeth Holmes Delays Going to Prison With Another Appeal
Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has avoided starting her more than 11-year prison sentence on Thursday by deploying the same legal maneuver that enabled her co-conspirator in a blood-testing hoax to remain free for an additional month.
Stretching Your Dollar: Benefits of Cash as an Asset Class
When people think of asset classes, most think of stocks and bonds. Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst with Bankrate.com, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the current economy is making the cash savings account a more worthwhile investment than it's been in previous years.
Load More