I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3873 
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 6, 2023 
Ms. PINGREE (for herself, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. 
KILMER, Ms. BROWN, and Mr. COURTNEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addi-
tion to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, 
Space, and Technology, and Financial Services, for a period to be subse-
quently 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 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 2023’’. 
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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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(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 re-
covery 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 Sec-
retary 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 Inno-
vation Cluster and Sea Grant, the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
the Economic Development Administration, re-
spectively. 
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(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 align-
ment with Federal objectives in each re-
gion regarding the Blue Economy. 
(2) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.— 
(A) SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND PART-
NERSHIP
LIAISONS.—The Secretary of Com-
merce shall coordinate with the Director of Sea 
Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, the Assistant Sec-
retary of Commerce for Economic Development, 
the Department of Energy, the Maritime Ad-
ministration of the Department of Transpor-
tation, 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 De-
partment of Commerce, as the Secretary of 
Commerce considers appropriate to increase 
technical knowledge exchange and opportunities 
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for cross-sector collaboration with those agen-
cies. 
(B) SECRETARY
OF
ENERGY.—With re-
spect to matters relating to the nexus of the 
Blue Economy and the responsibilities and ex-
pertise of the Department of Energy, the Sec-
retary of Energy— 
(i) shall provide advice and rec-
ommendations to the Secretary of Com-
merce in order to increase technical knowl-
edge exchange and opportunities for cross- 
sector collaboration; and 
(ii) may provide such advice and rec-
ommendations 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 At-
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mosphere, 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 sup-
ply chains, including with respect to food, transpor-
tation, processing, health and beauty products, ani-
mal feed, medical biotechnology, bioplastics, biofuels, 
and other value-added products, to strive for full use 
of harvested natural resources. 
(4) Providing significant and sustainable eco-
nomic 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 spe-
cific sectors. 
(6) Working with Federal, State, local, and 
Tribal agencies to clearly communicate laws, regula-
tions, and agency practices affecting industry needs, 
planning, or growth opportunities. 
(7) Creating investable opportunities through 
the development of economies of scale to enhance 
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growth opportunities, job creation, sustainability, 
and expansion for small businesses within the Blue 
Economy. 
(8) Workforce development and training, busi-
ness planning, identifying existing and needed tech-
nology 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 endeav-
ors. 
(i) OCEAN INNOVATION CENTERS FOR CROSS-SEC-
TOR COLLABORATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to foster collabora-
tion and innovation and strengthen regional ocean 
sector economies while creating employment oppor-
tunities, the Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 
and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Eco-
nomic Development shall collaborate with cross-sec-
tor partners to jointly develop or designate at least 
1 physical space for collaboration as an Ocean Inno-
vation Center for Cross-Sector Collaboration within 
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each of the 7 regions with an Ocean Innovation 
Cluster. 
(2) MANAGEMENT.—An Ocean Innovation Clus-
ter or a group of Ocean Innovation Clusters shall 
manage the Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-Sec-
tor Collaboration of the region in which the Cluster 
or Clusters is located. 
(3) FUNCTIONS.—Each Ocean Innovation Cen-
ter 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-de-
pendent communities and the Blue Economy; 
(C) create workspaces and laboratories de-
signed to promote collaboration, including 
through shared meeting rooms, access to tech-
nology, common spaces, and offices; 
(D) strengthen relationships among indus-
try sectors through shared scientific, staffing, 
and business resources; 
(E) develop the critical networks with 
cross-sector partners that entrepreneurs need to 
grow effectively; and 
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