VIRGINIA BEACH — Tidewater Community College may be one step closer to additional funding and resources for Hampton Roads’ maritime industry thanks to a bill that will be voted on by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill, dubbed the “Domestic Maritime Centers of Excellence Act,” would increase marine education and funding in Hampton Roads. It was approved by the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on June 28 and will advance through congress for a vote.
Maritime workers are required to train regularly with teachers approached by the U.S. Coast Guard. In Hampton Roads, access to that training is limited.
Bill co-sponsors Reps. Rob Wittman, R-District 1, Scott Taylor, R-District 2, and Bobby Scott, D-District 3, hope that the bill will address the shortage of workers in the maritime industry — a pillar of Hampton Roads’ economy.
Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine co-sponsored the Senate version of the bill, which was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in May.
If the bill passes, TCC would be considered a “center of excellence,” meaning the institution would become eligible for maritime training programs and additional workforce education under the act, according to a news release from the college.
“On behalf of TCC and our maritime industry partners, we sincerely thank our congressional representatives for supporting us in our promise to train the maritime workforce in Hampton Roads,” TCC President Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani wrote in the release. “I am truly encouraged that the bipartisan effort behind this legislation will lead to its passage.”
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