Young at Ripon Society: America Must Out-Compete China on Trade, Technology, and Shipbuilding

WASHINGTON – Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) addressed a meeting of The Ripon Society this week and spoke about trade policy, technology competition, and American industrial capacity. Click here to access Senator Young’s remarks. In his remarks, Young described AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing as the defining geopolitical contests of the 21st century. He cited three bills he has introduced in that space — the Create AI Act, the Future of AI Innovation Act, and the National Quantum Innovation Initiative Reauthorization Act — as part of a broader effort to ensure the United States leads in the development and deployment of emerging technologies. “We are in a strategic competition — you may regard it as a race — with China to lead the world in the development, deployment, and advancement of these various technologies. …The markets will not solve this alone. We need to set the parameters,” said Senator Young . Young called for a revival of American shipbuilding — an industry he said has been hollowed out to a degree most Americans do not appreciate. He argued that the loss of commercial shipbuilding capacity represents a strategic vulnerability. “Last year we built one ocean-going vessel — repeat, one. China has the capacity to build over a thousand in a given year,” said Senator Young . He called for passing the SHIPS for America Act, a bipartisan bill he is advancing for which would set a goal of 250 new American vessels built over the next decade. Click here to watch Young’s remarks.