Matt Paxton News

In his first State of the Union Speech from the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2017, President Donald J. Trump called for Congress to act to end Sequestration, freeing funds for the U.S. military to, among other things, build the 355-ship Navy. The Sequestration has been a hot-button topic for many years in U.S. shipbuilding circles, and in a recent interview with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, Matt Paxton, president of the Shipbuilder’s Council of America, said: "If you are sitting on that navy side of things…

Matt Paxton, president of the Shipbuilder’s Council of America, shares with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News his insights on the opportunities and challenges ahead. The United States shipbuilding market is diverse and geographically widespread, tasked to build everything from the most sophisticated military warships on the planet to small ferries, and everything in between. As president of SCA since 2007, Matt Paxton has made it job one to make SCA a unifying voice for the collective industry, a champion of the industry in raising its profile and stature in political and business circles.

SCA’s Matt Paxton weighs in on the state of domestic shipbuilding – workboat building & everything in between. As President of the Shipbuilders Council of America, the national trade association representing the U.S. shipyard industrial base, we are constantly evaluating the status of the nation’s commercial vessel building and repair base. American shipyards continue to build to the highest standards for diverse range of customers. These vessels built by American workers go on to serve an integral part to our national economic well-being and basic security responsibilities.

U.S. Today the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industry responded to unfounded claims purporting a causal link between the Jones Act and the loss of the cargo container ship El Faro in Hurricane Joaquin earlier this month -- a loss that tragically claimed the lives of 33 crewmembers who were carrying out their duties in service to the Puerto Rican people. The entire maritime industry has been mourning this loss. In the wake of this tragedy, critics have attempted to blame the loss of the ship on the Jones Act requirement that ships operating between two U.S. ports be U.S. built -- claiming that if operators could purchase less costly foreign ships they would replace their vessels more often and avoid similar tragedies. “To imply that vessels that do not have to comply with rigorous U.S.

Adams and Reese Adds Four to Bolster Federal Governmental Relations Practice. Adams and Reese is proud to announce the addition of Partner Matt Paxton and Governmental Affairs Advisors Joe Carnevale, Ian Bennitt and Ashley Godwin, who join our firm in our Washington DC Office from the law firm of Ball Janik LLP. “We are very excited about adding Matt, Joe, Ian and Ashley, to our Firm and our Federal Governmental Relations practice,” said B. Jeffrey Brooks, Adams and Reese Executive Committee Chairman and DC Office Partner in Charge.

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) joined with the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) to highlight new data that shows Connecticut ranks fourth among all states in private sector jobs related to the shipbuilding and repair industry. Supported by the Jones Act, which ensures vessels operating in our domestic waterways are U.S.-built, U.S.-crewed and U.S.-owned, Connecticut is home to 22,710 shipyard jobs, according to a recent study by the U.S. Maritime Administration covering both commercial and military ship construction.

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) today joined with the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Congressman Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), to highlight new data that shows Virginia ranks first among all U.S. states in shipbuilding with 63,650 jobs, far and above any other state. These jobs pump more than $5.5 billion into Virginia’s economy every year. The U.S. shipyard industrial base in Virginia and across the nation is vital to America’s national and economic security. Private U.S.

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) called the bipartisan budget agreement now passed by both houses of Congress an important first step and thanks Members of Congress for providing the much needed resources for the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry. “Passing this bipartisan agreement was crucial because of the pending losses of construction and repair jobs the Navy forecasted if full sequestration and a continuing resolution were to remain in effect in fiscal year 2014,” said SCA President Matt Paxton.

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) today announced the launch of SOS: Save our Ships, a national campaign focused on bringing attention to the devastating and unintended effects sequestration and budget uncertainty continue to have on the United States Navy and naval services, as well as thousands of American shipbuilding and repair workers. The SOS campaign will feature a combination of digital advertising, earned media programming and grassroots mobilization. “The SOS campaign is about making sure that policymakers and the Administration fully appreciate the real effects of indiscriminately cutting core shipbuilding and repair functions that keep this country safe and secure, and support thousands of American jobs and local economies,” said SCA president Matt Paxton.

Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C. has received the 2012 Award for Excellence in Safety as well as the Award for improvement in Safety by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA). Conrad was one of only five member organizations to receive both awards. This is the tenth time in the past eleven years that Conrad has received the Award for Excellence. These awards were presented during the Spring General Membership Meeting in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2013. The Award for Excellence in…

The Shipbuilders’ Council of America (SCA) has awarded Austal the 2012 SCA Award for Excellence in Safety. This honor is awarded to the shipyard members of the Association with the lowest total recordable incidence rates (TRIR) based on a quarterly injury and illness survey conducted by the SCA. This year, Austal contributed to the SCA’s lowest TRIR averages ever which was 65% below the industry average. Matt Paxton, SCA’s President, stated, “In 14 out of the last 15 years, SCA’s average TRIR has been more than 20% below the industry average.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) winner of American Maritime Partnership’s (AMP) 2012 'Champion of Maritime' award gets American Waterways Operators (AWO) approbation. The American Waterways Operators, a 350-member trade association representing the nation’s tugboat, towboat and barge industry, congratulates Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) upon his receipt of the American Maritime Partnership’s (AMP) 2012 Champion of Maritime award in honor of his years of leadership and diligence in supporting the nation’s maritime industry and its American workforce.

Presidents of Shipbuilders Council of America and Ingalls Shipbuilding to speak at GSSC's fifth annual Conference. Matt Paxton, president of the Shipbuilders Council of America will present a national perspective of the shipbuilding industry at GSSC’s fifth annual conference, March 27-28, 2012. Irwin Edenzon, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, will focus on workforce development in light of a changing economy. A tour of the AIDT Maritime Training Center, Vendor Expo, networking reception, and Interesting and timely breakout sessions addressing environmental issues currently impacting the industry and welding processes to improve worker productivity complete the agenda for the two-day event. GSSC was founded in 2006.

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) announced that Herschel Vinyard, vice president at Atlantic Marine Holding Company, has been elected its new chair. Mr. Vinyard takes the leadership role of the Council after two successful years that saw increased membership and an expansion of services provided by the SCA under the chairmanship of Steve Welch, CEO and President of Todd Pacific Shipyards. Chris Bollinger, executive vice president of Bollinger Shipyards, was elected to the position of vice-chair. The elections occurred during the Council’s annual Spring General Membership Meeting, held April 27 - 29, in Washington, DC. Past chair Steve Welch commented, "It was truly an honor to serve as chair of SCA.