The House of Representatives and Senate committees on appropriations authorized $20 million for small shipyard grants in their versions of the fiscal 2024 transportation appropriations bill. The actions bode well for future funding opportunities, as both committees and the administration are in agreement on the funding level for the program next year.
There are still risks that Congress does not complete the budget process, resulting in a continuing resolution, but since the program received $20 million last year, a repeat of last year's budget levels would have the same result — $20 million for small shipyard grants.
Recently, however, the House passed legislation authorizing funding the Small Shipyard Grant Program at $30 million for the coming year. While authorized funding levels aren't always reached through the appropriations process, the support for higher levels is a good sign. The schedule for Senate action on authorization of the program remains unclear.
