119-hr3048

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3048 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3048

 To establish Ocean Innovation Clusters to strengthen the coastal 
 communities and ocean economy of the United States through 
technological research and development, job training, and cross-sector 
 partnerships, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 28, 2025

Ms. Pingree (for herself, Ms. Salazar, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Barragan, Mr. 
 Huffman, Ms. Brown, and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 
 addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
Science, Space, and Technology, and Financial Services, for a period to 
 be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish Ocean Innovation Clusters to strengthen the coastal 
 communities and ocean economy of the United States through 
technological research and development, job training, and cross-sector 
 partnerships, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Ocean Regional Opportunity and 
Innovation Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Blue economy.--The term ``Blue Economy'' means the 
 value and impact of sustainable industries related to the Great 
 Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the economy of 
 the United States, including living resources, marine 
 construction, marine transportation, offshore energy 
 development and siting including for renewable energy, offshore 
 mineral production, ship and boat building, tourism, 
 recreation, subsistence, commercial, recreational, and charter 
 fishing, seafood processing, and other fishery-related 
 businesses, kelp and shellfish aquaculture, coastal resilience, 
 and other industries the Secretary of Commerce considers 
 appropriate.

    (2) Director of sea grant.--The term ``Director of Sea 
 Grant'' means the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
 Program appointed under 

section 204
            (d) (1) of the National Sea 
 Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123
            (d) (1) ).

    (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

    (4) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
 Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given the term in 
 

section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
 7517).

    (5) Ocean innovation center for cross-sector 
 collaboration.--The term ``Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-
 Sector Collaboration'' means a physical space for collaboration 
 developed and managed in accordance with 

section 3
            (i) .

    (6) Ocean innovation cluster.--The term ``Ocean Innovation 
 Cluster'' means an eligible entity designated by the Secretary 
 of Commerce under 

section 3.

SEC. 3. OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

    (a) Designation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with 
the Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Economic Development, shall designate not fewer than 7 eligible 
entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters.

    (b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity is an entity--

    (1) that is composed, in a concentrated geographic region, 
 of 1 or more--
        (A) business organizations;
        (B) academic institutions, including minority- and 
 Tribal-serving institutions;
            (C) not-for-profit organizations;
            (D) Federal, State, or local governmental entities, 
 agencies, or instrumentalities;
        (E) Indian Tribes; or
        (F) Native Hawaiian organizations;

    (2) that is led by a not-for-profit organization; and

    (3) that works to deliver services in the concentrated 
 geographic region where the entity is located, enhance 
 collaboration, promote innovation, and contribute to the 
 equitable and sustainable growth of the Blue Economy across all 
 sectors.
            (c) Priority.--In designating entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters 
under subsection

    (a) , the Secretary of Commerce shall prioritize 
entities with a history of supporting cross-sector growth and 
development of the Blue Economy.
            (d) Geographic Diversity.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
designate not fewer than 1 Ocean Innovation Cluster under subsection

    (a) in--

    (1) each of the regions covered by the 5 regional offices 
 of the National Marine Fisheries Service;

    (2) the Great Lakes region; and

    (3) the Gulf of Mexico region.

    (e) Considerations.--In designating an eligible entity as an Ocean 
Innovation Cluster under subsection

    (a) , the Secretary of Commerce 
shall consider the following:

    (1) The economic development potential of the coastal 
 community or region in which the entity is located.

    (2) The ability of the entity to incorporate and bring 
 growth and opportunity to broad geographic areas, including 
 urban, rural, and underserved areas.

    (3) Whether the entity serves a diverse, multigenerational, 
 ocean-dependent population consisting of groups with different 
 socioeconomic and educational attainment levels, industries, 
 and Indian Tribes.

    (4) The ability of the entity to cultivate and leverage 
 partnerships with private industry, academia, nongovernmental 
 organizations, Federal, State, and local governments, and 
 Indian Tribes to collaborate on shared outcomes.

    (5) The relative potential for the designation of the 
 entity as an Ocean Innovation Cluster to reverse a decline, or 
 accelerate growth, in ocean sector jobs.

    (6) The ability of the entity to carry out projects that 
 support economic and climate resilience through economic 
 diversification and long-term recovery from natural disasters.

    (7) The extent, rural and underserved nature, and economic 
 underutilization of the coastline and ocean area that projects 
 carried out by the entity could affect.

    (f) Partnership Management.--

    (1) Partnership liaisons.--
        (A) Designation.--The Director of Sea Grant, the 
 Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
 Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
 Economic Development shall each designate 1 partnership 
 manager from within their respective agencies to serve 
 as a partnership liaison between each Ocean Innovation 
 Cluster and Sea Grant, the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration, and the Economic 
 Development Administration, respectively.
        (B) Function.--Each partnership liaison designated 
 under subparagraph
        (A) shall ensure that Ocean 
 Innovation Clusters--
            (i) have direct communication with the 
 agency of the liaison; and
            (ii) allow for collaboration and alignment 
 with Federal objectives in each region 
 regarding the Blue Economy.

    (2) Interagency coordination.--
        (A) Secretary of commerce.--The Secretary of 
 Commerce shall coordinate with the Director of Sea 
 Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans 
 and Atmosphere, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
 Economic Development, the Department of Energy, the 
 Maritime Administration of the Department of 
 Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, 
 the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management of the Department 
 of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the 
 Coast Guard, and such other Federal agencies, including 
 bureaus of the Department of Commerce, as the Secretary 
 of Commerce considers appropriate to increase technical 
 knowledge exchange and opportunities for cross-sector 
 collaboration with those agencies.
        (B) Secretary of energy.--With respect to matters 
 relating to the nexus of the Blue Economy and the 
 responsibilities and expertise of the Department of 
 Energy, the Secretary of Energy--
            (i) shall provide advice and 
 recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce in 
 order to increase technical knowledge exchange 
 and opportunities for cross-sector 
 collaboration; and
            (ii) may provide such advice and 
 recommendations without any formal request from 
 the Department of Commerce.

    (g) Development of Economic Impact Metrics of Ocean Innovation 
Clusters.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the 
Department of Commerce, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies shall use and refine the Marine Economy Satellite Account to 
measure the value to and impact of Ocean Innovation Clusters on the 
Blue Economy.

    (h) Areas of Focus.--The Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development shall coordinate with 
each Ocean Innovation Cluster in the following areas of focus:

    (1) Increasing pathways for new entrants into the Blue 
 Economy for individuals and entities.

    (2) Intellectual property management.

    (3) Enhancing the sustainability of seafood supply chains, 
 including with respect to food, transportation, processing, 
 health and beauty products, animal feed, medical biotechnology, 
 bioplastics, biofuels, and other value-added products, to 
 strive for full use of harvested natural resources.

    (4) Providing significant and sustainable economic 
 opportunity through advanced research, cross-sector science, 
 and technology development.

    (5) Contributing new knowledge, processes, technology, and 
 support for stakeholders in the Blue Economy, especially to 
 advance sustainability in specific sectors.

    (6) Working with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies 
 to clearly communicate laws, regulations, and agency practices 
 affecting industry needs, planning, or growth opportunities.

    (7) Creating investable opportunities through the 
 development of economies of scale to enhance growth 
 opportunities, job creation, sustainability, and expansion for 
 small businesses within the Blue Economy.

    (8) Workforce development and training, business planning, 
 identifying existing and needed technology and economic 
 infrastructure, and coordinated research and development among 
 small businesses, government, and industry.

    (9) Research, development, and implementation of ocean 
 energy, bioprospecting, and other innovative and sustainable 
 ocean resource development endeavors.
            (i) Ocean Innovation Centers for Cross-Sector Collaboration.--

    (1) In general.--In order to foster collaboration and 
 innovation and strengthen regional ocean sector economies while 
 creating employment opportunities, the Director of Sea Grant, 
 the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 
 and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
 Development shall collaborate with cross-sector partners to 
 jointly develop or designate at least 1 physical space for 
 collaboration as an Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-Sector 
 Collaboration within each of the 7 regions with an Ocean 
 Innovation Cluster.

    (2) Management.--An Ocean Innovation Cluster or a group of 
 Ocean Innovation Clusters shall manage the Ocean Innovation 
 Center for Cross-Sector Collaboration of the region in which 
 the Cluster or Clusters is located.

    (3) Functions.--Each Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-
 Sector Collaboration shall--
        (A) serve as a hub for partners within Ocean 
 Innovation Clusters to work toward the areas of focus 
 in described in subsection

    (h) ;
        (B) support a community of entrepreneurs focused on 
 strengthening vibrant marine-dependent communities and 
 the Blue Economy;
            (C) create workspaces and laboratories designed to 
 promote collaboration, including through shared meeting 
 rooms, access to technology, common spaces, and 
 offices;
            (D) strengthen relationships among industry sectors 
 through shared scientific, staffing, and business 
 resources;
        (E) develop the critical networks with cross-sector 
 partners that entrepreneurs need to grow effectively; 
 and
        (F) develop the next generation of Blue Economy 
 workers by providing internships, apprenticeships, or 
 training, as appropriate, including for 
 underrepresented and Tribal communities and local trade 
 schools.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

 The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 31. GRANTS FOR OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

 ``

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Director 
of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development, may award grants, on a competitive basis, to Ocean 
Innovation Clusters for the purposes described in subsection

    (b) .
 ``

    (b) 

=== Purposes ===
-The Secretary may award grants under subsection

    (a) for the operation and administration of one or more Ocean 
Innovation Clusters under the Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation 
Act of 2025, with the goal that Ocean Innovation Clusters will become 
membership-based, self-sustaining entities.
 ``
            (c) Input.--In awarding a grant under subsection

    (a) , the 
Secretary shall provide an opportunity for input from the Director of 
Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development.
 ``
            (d) Term of Grants.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The term of a grant awarded under 
 subsection

    (a) shall be 2 years.
 ``

    (2) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew a grant awarded 
 under subsection

    (a) for additional periods of such duration as 
 the Secretary determines to be appropriate and necessary for 
 the Ocean Innovation Cluster that received the grant to provide 
 regional economic benefits.
 ``

    (e) Limitations on Grant Amounts.--A grant awarded under 
subsection

    (a) may not exceed $10,000,000.
 ``

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to award grants under subsection

    (a) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
 ``

    (g) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Director of sea grant.--The term `Director of Sea 
 Grant' means the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
 Program appointed under 

section 204
            (d) (1) of the National Sea 
 Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123
            (d) (1) ).
 ``

    (2) Ocean innovation cluster.--The term `Ocean Innovation 
 Cluster' has the meaning given that term in 

section 2 of the 
 Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2025.''.
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