At the end of World War II, the United States had nearly 1,000 shipyards building and maintaining vessels for both military and commercial use. But now, according to US Congressman Michael Waltz, that number has dropped to just about 20. This sharp decline has raised alarms about the state of the US shipbuilding industry, which was once a key part of America's defense and economic strength.

During a virtual discussion with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Waltz ...