Seapower

The Seapower Subcommittee is one of seven specialized panels within the Senate Armed Services Committee. It focuses on a critical slice of defense policy: the operations, planning, and programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, including cyber and nuclear weapons matters. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before the full committee decides whether to advance bills to the Senate floor. This specialized structure allows the full committee to delegate detailed oversight of naval and marine operations to experts who can dive deep into shipbuilding, fleet readiness, and maritime strategy.

Chaired by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), a Navy veteran, and with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) as Ranking Member, the subcommittee has 13 total members. Recent activity includes a March 2025 hearing on conventional surface shipbuilding, where Chairman Scott examined the state of Navy ship construction programs and addressed concerns about U.S. naval readiness relative to competitors like China. The subcommittee also participated in reviewing the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions on shipbuilding investments and naval modernization. Both the chair and ranking member have emphasized the importance of strengthening America's shipbuilding capacity and addressing delays in naval construction programs.