{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://amo.house.gov/press-release/amo-concludes-rhode-island-blue-economy-tour-unveils-new-legislation", "Amo Concludes Rhode Island Blue Economy Tour, Unveils New Legislation", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Gabe Amo", "A000380", "amo.house.gov", "amo", "https://amo.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Pawtucket, RI \u2013 Today, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) concluded his Blue Economy tour of Rhode Island\u2019s First Congressional District and introduced critical new legislation as the capstone. Titledthe Blue Economy and Innovation Act, the bill would support investments in ocean science at the National Science Foundation and clarify that grantees may partner with Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs, like Rhode Island\u2019s Ocean Tech Hub.\n\n\u201cTo cap off my multi-day, multi-stop tour of Rhode Island\u2019s Blue Economy, I\u2019m proud to announce new legislation to help continue federal investments into the pioneering ocean research and development that is being conducted in our state,\u201d said Congressman Gabe Amo,a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. \u201cMy Blue Economy and Innovation Act would keep the federal government\u2019s attention focused on supporting the workers and industries in the Blue Economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Congressman Amo for his support of the blue economy, which is important to our state\u2019s long-term economic success,\u201d said, Liz Tanner Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce. \u201cInvestments like the Blue Economy and Innovation Act will help advance initiatives such as the Ocean Tech Hub \u2014 the only Tech Hub in the nation to focus solely on ocean technology \u2014 so that we may continue providing high-quality, good-paying jobs for Rhode Islanders.\u201d\n\n\"The Blue Economy and Innovation Act legislation introduced by Congressman Amo will accelerate the Blue Economy in Rhode Island by creating a path for stronger investment in collaboration, innovation, workforce development, and purpose-built infrastructure that will serve as the backbone to the growing maritime technology ecosystem across the region,\" said Erik Brine, Director of 401 Tech Bridge.\n\n\"The Blue Economy is a tremendous opportunity for union members and working-class Rhode Islanders to help shape a new type of economy - one focused on protecting our environment while creating thousands of good paying jobs,\u201d said Patrick Crowley, President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. \u201cRepresentative Amo's leadership on this issue will help make Rhode Island a national leader in driving the changes we need to meet our climate goals.\"\n\n\"While Rhode Island\u2019s Blue Economy \u2014 our marine trades, defense, ports and shipping, tourism and recreation, aquaculture, fisheries, and offshore wind energy industries \u2014 is growing and diversifying, continue care and investment for quality of place, workforce, innovation, and resiliency is necessary to ensure all Rhode Islanders benefit from good paying jobs and access to our coasts and oceans, and natural resources \u2014 the crux of our blue economy \u2014 are protected,\" said Jennifer McCann, Director of U.S. Coastal Programs at the URI Coastal Resources Center and Director of Extension Programs for the Rhode Island Sea Grant College Program.\n\nOver the past two weeks, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) toured Rhode Island\u2019s First Congressional District to highlight the Ocean State\u2019s leadership in the Blue Economy. Throughout the tour, Amo convened discussions with the workers, small business, higher education institutions, and nonprofits that are at the heart of Rhode Island\u2019s Blue Economy.\n\nThe two-week tour featured key industries like offshore wind, ocean research and innovation, defense, marine manufacturing, and other sectors that comprise the Blue Economy, which directly employs 36,000 Rhode Islanders and contributes over $5 billion to the state gross domestic product every year. Nationwide, the Blue Economy supports 2.4 million jobs and contributes $397 billion to the nation\u2019s gross domestic product.\n\nTHE BLUE ECONOMY AND INNOVATION ACT\n\nThis bill would authorize and codify National Science Foundation ocean science activities and support federal grants for:\n\nSupporting transdisciplinary research to advance the understanding of ocean science and ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes waters.\n\nDeveloping, piloting, and deploying innovative technology to address challenges that affect ocean science and ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes waters.\n\nExpanding the scientific workforce capable of studying or managing ocean science or ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes waters.\n\nRepairing, maintaining, or upgrading research instrumentation or infrastructure related to ocean science or ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes waters.\n\nAdditionally, the bill would clarify that grantees may partner with Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs, including Rhode Island\u2019s Ocean Tech Hub.\n\nBLUE ECONOMY TOUR HIGHLIGHTS\n\nOn October 16, Congressman Amo convened a roundtable conversation at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)\u2019s Lincoln campus to discuss opportunities for labor through the Blue Economy. Earlier this spring, CCRI launched their Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training program to provide safety training for workers engaged in offshore wind farm construction and operation. After the roundtable, Congressman Amo participated in one of the training modules for this safety program.\n\nOn October 17, Congressman Amo led a roundtable with academic leaders from across Rhode Island\u2019s campuses to highlight the groundbreaking research in oceanography, coastal law, and ocean engineering taking place in the Ocean State. The conversation highlighted the cross-sector research and innovation our higher education institutions are leading and illustrated new pathways for collaborations between education, government, and the workforce to help retain workers for Rhode Island\u2019s Blue Economy.\n\nOn October 22, Congressman Amo visited the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport to discuss their Blue Economy defense work and tour their Narragansett Bay Test Facility. Then, he visited VATN Systems in Portsmouth to witness a live demonstration of one of their autonomous underwater vehicles. Finally, Congressman Amo visited Flux Marine in Bristol to explore their all-electric outboard motor manufacturing and development\n\nOn October 24, Congressman Amo gave a presentation at 401 Tech Bridge\u2019s NavalX annual Program Management Review to highlight his findings from his Blue Economy tour stops and further discuss federal support for the Blue Economy and the vital role it plays in our national defense.\n\nADDITIONAL BACKGROUND\n\nAs a Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Congressman Amo has spoken about the need for increased funding for the Wind Technology Office at the Department of Energy, which supports President Joe Biden\u2019s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 and advocates for adequate and affordable transmission access to offshore wind deployment.\n\nRhode Island remains the leader across the country in renewable energy as the first state to commit to 100% renewable energy by 2033. The state has set the goal of deploying 1,600 MW of offshore wind capacity which could represent up to $6,000,000 in capital investment and generate the energy to power 900,000 homes. These investments would eliminate 3 million metric tons of CO2 from Rhode Island\u2019s power sector.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://amo.house.gov/press-release/amo-concludes-rhode-island-blue-economy-tour-unveils-new-legislation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5472378581762314, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}