Environment Subcommittee Hearing - To the Depths, and Beyond: Examining Blue Economy Technologies
2025-03-26
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Source: Congress.gov
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Transcript
Good morning, the Subcommittee on Environment will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recesses of the subcommittee at any time. Welcome today to our hearing entitled, To the Depths and Beyond, Examining the Blue Economy's Technologies. I recognize myself for five minutes for an opening statement. Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for being with us today. Today's hearing is on a topic that impacts hundreds of millions of Americans daily, the technological advancements of the blue economy. For years, NOAA has set ambitious goals mapping and surveying the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, the EEZ. It's the largest in the world, spanning over 13,000 miles of coastline and containing 3.4 million square nautical miles of ocean, larger than the combined land of all 50 states. NOAA cannot meet these mapping goals all on its own, and private-public partnerships are key to getting this done by the target goal of 2030. Furthermore, a robust private sector contributing all types of technologies and techniques is critical to our advancement in all things related to ocean science. In my home state of Florida, we know that the health of our economy is directly connected to the strength of our waterways and ports. The innovations we're discussing here today will result in a thriving blue economy which benefits all Americans. Floridians are no strangers to the direct impact of weather and climate patterns. There are other indirect impacts such as energy production, international trade routes that ship our exports, as well as recreation and tourism opportunities that are part of the daily life in Florida. Making sure our critical infrastructure is protected is key to this continued success, as bad actors like China and Russia will seek to undermine the United States. As we continue to innovate, it is important that the investments we make have the best path to commercialization. Combining NOAA's ocean science expertise with private innovation allows the federal government to operate efficiently and have the greatest possible impact. Through our conversations like this one, we can ensure all Americans are moving in the right direction together.
I now recognize the ranking member of the subcommittee for an opening statement. Well, thank you very much, Chair Franklin, for today's hearing. on the blue economy and thank you to our witnesses for agreeing to share your perspectives. Since the days of Roger Williams and the Gatsby affair, the ocean has been central to Rhode Island's identity. Water isn't just a key to our past, it's critical to our future. Thanks to investments in the blue economy, my home state, the ocean state, is home to thriving blue industries such as commercial fishing, tourism, defense production, and shipbuilding, as well as marine manufacturing, offshore wind, and oceanic research. Leveraging our state's natural strengths has ushered in a new age of prosperity for workers, small businesses, and research institutions. Estimates show that the blue economy employs more than 36,000 workers in Rhode Island and contributes over $5 billion to our gross domestic product every year. Around the country, there are approximately 2 million workers supporting the blue economy who contribute about $373 billion to our nation's GDP. To find out more, I embarked on a multi-day, multi-stop tour of Rhode Island's first congressional district's blue economy in October. I learned about leaders training union workers pursuing careers in offshore wind. I engaged with researchers and higher education leaders working to deepen our understanding of the ocean. I saw how cutting-edge manufacturing companies are growing their footprints and investing in our communities. Tools like artificial intelligence and robotics are revolutionizing ocean-based industries and driving growth in the blue economy. Rhode Island has companies utilizing cutting-edge aquatic data collected through underwater drones that is increasing our nation's defense capabilities. We must continue to invest in the blue economy. It supports our innovation, our workforce, and our resiliency efforts.
It's about protecting our global innovation leadership. We need public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders rowing in the same direction. I hope there are shared values in our committee about leveraging our ocean to advance scientific research, spur economic development, and defend our national security. But I am at this moment not certain those priorities are shared by the leadership at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House. Time and time again, we have seen President Trump and his billionaire supporters stand in the way. They have systematically undermined and jeopardized our progress in an area where we should continue to have great leadership. Take, for example, the whiplash firing and rehiring of staff the canceling of contracts, and the freezing of grants across our government, including at NOAA and the Science Foundation and countless other key areas. Can anyone really claim that chaos and confusion supports economic development? I think the answer is clear. Hacking and slashing away at our federal agencies slows scientific progress that is urgently needed, threatens economic stability, undermines disaster preparedness, and can hinder national security. My state has welcomed NOAA with open arms.
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