I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7970 
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 
JUNE 7, 2022 
Ms. PINGREE (for herself, Ms. SALAZAR, and Ms. BARRAGA´N) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 
and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ocean Regional Oppor-
tunity and Innovation Act of 2022’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BLUE ECONOMY.—The term ‘‘Blue Econ-
omy’’ means the value and impact of sustainable in-
dustries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, es-
tuaries, and coasts on the economy of the United 
States, including living resources, marine construc-
tion, marine transportation, offshore energy develop-
ment and siting including for renewable energy, off-
shore mineral production, ship and boat building, 
tourism, recreation, subsistence, commercial, rec-
reational, and charter fishing, seafood processing, 
and other fishery-related businesses, kelp and shell-
fish aquaculture, coastal resilience, and other indus-
tries the Secretary of Commerce considers appro-
priate. 
(2) DIRECTOR OF SEA GRANT.—The term ‘‘Di-
rector of Sea Grant’’ means the Director of the Na-
tional 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). 
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(4) NATIVE
HAWAIIAN
ORGANIZATION.—The 
term ‘‘Native Hawaiian organization’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 6207 of the Native Ha-
waiian Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7517). 
(5) OCEAN INNOVATION CENTER FOR CROSS- 
SECTOR COLLABORATION.—The term ‘‘Ocean Inno-
vation 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 sec-
tion 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 Com-
merce, in consultation with the Director of Sea Grant, the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmos-
phere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Eco-
nomic Development, shall designate not fewer than 7 eligi-
ble entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, an eligible entity is an entity— 
(1) that is composed, in a concentrated geo-
graphic region, of 1 or more— 
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(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 con-
centrated geographic region where the entity is lo-
cated, 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 In-
novation Clusters under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Commerce shall prioritize entities with a history of sup-
porting cross-sector growth and development of the Blue 
Economy. 
(d) GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY.—The Secretary of 
Commerce shall designate not fewer than 1 Ocean Innova-
tion Cluster under subsection (a) in— 
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(1) each of the regions covered by the 5 re-
gional offices of the National Marine Fisheries Serv-
ice; 
(2) the Great Lakes region; and 
(3) the Gulf of Mexico region. 
(e) CONSIDERATIONS.—In designating an eligible en-
tity 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 con-
sisting of groups with different socioeconomic and 
educational attainment levels, industries, and Indian 
Tribes. 
(4) The ability of the entity to cultivate and le-
verage partnerships with private industry, academia, 
nongovernmental organizations, Federal, State, and 
local governments, and Indian Tribes to collaborate 
on shared outcomes. 
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