A state of play on AAM’s legislative priorities as the August recess begins. The U.S. Congress has left Washington for the August recess, and lawmakers have made important progress on several manufacturing priorities. The biggest tests, however, lie ahead. When Congress returns this fall, it will face a crowded agenda that will help determine whether the United States continues rebuilding its industrial base or falls further behind global competitors. The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) is tracking a number of legislative proposals that could be part of that program. Let’s start with a bright spot: The Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 (S. 4429), introduced by Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) along with companion legislation in the House (H.R. 8730) from Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). The Senate bill cleared the Commerce Committee in July, signaling growing bipartisan concern about the national security risks posed by imported connected vehicles. Today’s automobiles are rolling computers that collect reams of data and rely on sophisticated software, sensors and communications technologies. The legislation would prohibit from the United States connected vehicles and related hardware and software linked to foreign adversaries. Congress has also begun addressing another major strategic vulnerability: shipbuilding. The House included key provisions of the SHIPS for America Act in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), creating momentum for long-overdue efforts to rebuild America’s maritime industrial base. China’s shipbuilding industry did not rise to global dominance through market competition alone; it was built through decades of aggressive state support, subsidies, preferential financing, state-directed investment and industrial policies designed to capture global market share and displace foreign competitors. As a result, China now accounts for a dominant share of global shipbuilding while U.S. capacity has declined to a precarious position. Revitalizing American shipyards,