Representative Salud Carbajal (D-24th District) outlined how California’s Central Coast maritime infrastructure plays a crucial role in national security and local economic prosperity during a recent policy discussion on the “American Maritime Podcast.”
Carbajal, who represents the coastal region from Ventura County to San Luis Obispo County, highlighted the strategic importance of local maritime facilities, particularly the Port of Hueneme, which sits on the border between his district and the neighboring 26th District represented by Congresswoman Julia Brownley.
“We have the Port Hueneme, which does a lot of imports of vehicles and bananas, believe it or not, but they are adjacent to the Ventura County Port Hueneme Naval Base, and serve an extraordinary role, not only for commerce, but also for our military base,” Carbajal explained during the interview.
The port’s dual civilian-military function exemplifies how Central Coast infrastructure serves both local economic needs and broader national security interests, handling everything from consumer goods to military logistics for the nearby naval facility.
Carbajal’s role as ranking member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee directly impacts Central Coast boaters and maritime professionals. The Coast Guard’s diverse mission portfolio (including drug interdiction and search and rescue operations) provides essential services for California’s coastline and the nation writ large.
“The Coast Guard has the resources and the assets that they need so that they could be effective in all of the missions that they perform,” Carbajal said, discussing pending legislation to increase Coast Guard funding and capabilities.
President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” gave the Coast Guard a nearly $25 billion investment to procure new icebreakers, cutters, helicopters and C-130J aircraft while modernizing shore infrastructure and maritime surveillance systems.
Carbajal strongly defended the century-old Jones Act, which requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to travel on American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed vessels.
California’s maritime industry supports over 50,000 jobs statewide with more than $12 billion in annual economic contributions, according to Carbajal. Many of these jobs are created by the Jones Act, according to the Transportation Institute.
“This law has been around for decades, if not a century, and it’s imperative for our maritime commerce. It’s imperative for our economy and it’s imperative for our national security,” Carbajal stated.
The congressman dismissed critics of the Jones Act as “misguided,” arguing they fail to understand the strategic importance of domestic maritime capabilities.
“If you are for the United States interest, our national security, developing jobs in our country, making sure we have supply chains that work for our interests, you would be for it,” he said.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how supply chain disruptions affect Central Coast communities, from delayed agricultural equipment to consumer goods shortages. Carbajal referenced these experiences when discussing the importance of domestic maritime capabilities.
“It’s become more apparent after the pandemic that when it comes to supply chains, we cannot rely on foreign ships for our needs and our maritime transportation of products,” the congressman observed.
Foreign shipping giants such as Cosco and Hapag-Lloyd were alleged to have refused to export U.S. agricultural products during the pandemic. A CNBC report found that these refusals cost farmers millions of dollars.
This reality particularly impacts agricultural communities in his district, where timing is critical for seasonal crops and perishable goods requiring reliable transportation networks.
“Agriculture is the number one industry” in his district, Carbajal noted, describing how California’s position as the nation’s top agricultural state depends on efficient maritime transportation networks to move products to domestic and international markets.
The congressman outlined three key legislative priorities for the nation’s maritime industry:
- Coast Guard Authorization Act
- American Cargo for American Ships Act
- Mariner Exam Modernization Act
These initiatives demonstrate how federal maritime policy directly impacts Central Coast communities, from job creation to supply chain reliability for local businesses and agricultural operations.