November 7, 2025
Mr. Norcross (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To establish a grant program to support the conservation and preservation of historic military ships and submarines, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Save Our Ships Act
.
Sec. 2. Historic Naval Ship Preservation Grant Program
(a) Establishment
There is established in the Department of the Interior the Historic Naval Ship Preservation Grant Program to support the physical preservation of historic military vessels, ensuring the continued availability of these vessels to the American public to educate on the past and inspire the future of United States military maritime endeavors.
(b) Administration
The Program shall be administered by the Secretary, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
(c) Grant uses
In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for the following activities:
(1)
Conserving and preserving historic military vessels at covered sites, including—
(A)
physical upkeep and repair of the vessels; and
(B)
mitigating environmental hazards or damage to the vessels.
(2)
Implementing education and workforce development programs related to military maritime careers, including shipbuilding and submarine construction.
(d) Eligible entities
(1) In general
In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may award grants to a unit of State or local government or a private nonprofit organization that administers a covered site.
(2) Application
To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an organization that administers a covered site shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(e) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the Program $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter.
(f) Definition
In this Act:
(1) Covered site
The term covered site means a museum, memorial, monument, educational center, or other venue that provides public access to, or publicly displays, a historic military vessel.
(2) Historic military vessel
The term historic military vessel means a vessel that has been decommissioned or otherwise removed from service and—
(A)
was owned and operated by the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, other than a time- or voyage-chartered vessel;
(B)
was owned and operated by the Department of Transportation and designated by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating as a vessel equivalent to a vessel described in subparagraph (A); or
(C)
was built for, or pursuant to a contract with, the United States Maritime Commission or other legacy branch of the Department of Transportation and at some point in the vessel’s service was equipped with armaments and embarked Navy Armed Guard personnel to operate the armaments.
(3) Program
The term Program means the Historic Naval Ship Preservation Grant Program established by subsection (a).
(4) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service.