Washington Waves: Waterway News From D.C.

October 17, 2025

The government shutdown marked its third week without much fuss, which suggests it might be on its way to take over the 35-day record shutdown set by the lapse in funding that began in late 2018 and spilled over into 2019.

Here are some key developments of the current stalemate.

As commander in chief, President Donald Trump directed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15,” the president stated on Truth Social. “I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE.”

Trump said his administration would use the shutdown to lay off thousands more federal workers, with his budget director suggesting that number could exceed 10,000.

“We have the people that we want paid, paid. We want the FBI paid,” Trump said, adding his administration is “getting rid of programs that we didn’t like.”

“They’re going to be terminated on a permanent basis,” Trump said. “It’s thousands of people … tremendous numbers of Democrat projects.”

The administration’s actions are being challenged in court.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) described the firings as vindictive, callous and hurtful to hard-working Americans.

“Let’s be very clear, nobody forced the administration to do these firings,” Schumer said. “They did it because they wanted to, period.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) continue to call on Democrats to support the House-passed stopgap measure to reopen the government before demanding talks on health care issues.

Thune has left open the possibility of scheduling a separate floor vote on a defense spending bill.

AAPA On Taxes

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) warned new taxes on port equipment and shipping will harm the U.S. maritime industry and economy.

“The seaport industry is challenged by yet more taxes on the equipment necessary for supply chain expansion and resilience,” AAPA President and CEO Cary Davis said. “Ports large and small struggle to finance large, modern, world-class equipment like cranes when government policies double the price overnight.”

AAPA’s criticism followed an announcement from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) that included several determinations and new proposals that amount to taxes on U.S. ports.

AAPA pointed to a fee on all foreign-built vehicle carriers calling at U.S. ports that was raised to $46 per net ton, a new 100 percent tariff on Chinese ship-to-shore cranes and a 150 percent tariff proposed on a broad range of cargo-handling equipment from China, including gantry cranes, reach stackers and terminal tractors.

While backing efforts to bring maritime industry manufacturing back to America, AAPA said “ill-advised trade policy changes will cause America’s ports to slow modernization and fall further behind competitors, when the maritime industry has emerged as a key focus of national and economic security.”

Shutdown Impact On NMC

The National Maritime Center (NMC) announced mitigation efforts as it remained closed, along with all Regional Examination Centers (RECs), with customer walk-in service suspended and examinations and other appointments cancelled.

During the shutdown, email submission of applications and supporting documentation remains active. Processing will resume once appropriations are restored. In addition, merchant mariner credentials (national endorsements only) and medical certificates (national and pilot expiration dates only) that expire in October remain valid until December 31.

Mariners who are actively working on expired credentials that meet the expiration criteria must carry both the expired credential and a copy of the letter stating the policy while sailing under the authority of those credentials.

The NMC will not issue separate or replacement MMCs or medical certificates reflecting the extension.

Additional information letters, approval to test letters and mariner training course completion certificates that expire in October are extended until December 31. The NMC will not issue updated letters reflecting the extension.

Qualified assessor and designated examiner certification letters and course approvals that expire October 31 are extended until February 28, 2026. The NMC will not issue updated certificates/letters reflecting the extension.

Mariners who began but did not complete all modules of an examination prior to October 1 may resume testing without penalty once the NMC reopens. Testing should be completed within 60 days of reopening. Contact the NMC regarding waivers due to sea service.

Ninety-day retest periods are paused beginning on October 1 and will restart upon reopening. Contact the NMC regarding waivers due to sea service.

Marine employers are advised to contact the Customer Service Center for questions regarding credentialing issues related to National Defense. For updates on NMC and REC operating status, monitor the NMC website. For questions, contact the Customer Service Center via the NMC online chat system, by emailing IASKNMC@uscg.mil or by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662).

DOT Advisory Board

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Advisory Board is scheduled to meet October 22 in Washington, D.C. Open to the public virtually, the meeting will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern at (DOT) headquarters. Interested parties should monitor www.transportation.gov/USDOTAdvisoryBoard for the exact start time and to access the link for live viewing of the meeting. For additional information and to submit written material in advance, contact Juli Huynh at 202-366-2278 or DOTAdvisoryBoard@dot.gov.