# Summary
The MARINERS Act aims to strengthen the U.S. maritime industry and national security by recruiting workers, building ships, and maintaining shipping capacity. The bill funds a multi-year marketing and recruiting campaign to attract workers to the merchant marine and shipbuilding sectors, with $10 million annually for merchant marine recruitment and $5 million annually for shipbuilding recruitment through fiscal year 2035. It establishes new protections and incentives for U.S.-flagged ships, including raising cargo preference requirements from 50 percent to 75 percent for government-financed cargo and creating rules for ships built with federal construction assistance. The legislation also increases payments for the Maritime Security Program to $8.5 million per vessel annually through 2035 and provides $100 million to help small shipyards upgrade facilities. Additionally, the bill creates a presidential advisor role for maritime affairs, requires the Navy to develop a strategy for rearming ships at sea within three years, and mandates various reports on shipbuilding capacity, supply chain vulnerabilities, tax incentives for maritime companies, and ways to reduce American dependence on Chinese maritime industries.