H.R. 5692

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5692 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5692

To accelerate the competitiveness of the United States in marine energy 
technologies, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 6, 2025

Ms. Barragan (for herself, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. Pingree) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 
Commerce, Natural Resources, and Education and Workforce, 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 accelerate the competitiveness of the United States in marine energy 
technologies, 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 ``Marine Energy Technologies 
Acceleration Act''.

SEC. 2. MARINE ENERGY ACCELERATION.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Marine Energy 
Acceleration Fund established under subsection (b).
(2) Marine energy.--The term ``marine energy'' has the 
meaning given that term in section 632 of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211).
(3) National marine energy centers.--The term ``National 
Marine Energy Centers'' means the National Marine Energy 
Centers referred to in, or established under, section 636 of 
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 
17215).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Energy.
(b) Marine Energy Acceleration Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a fund, 
to be known as the ``Marine Energy Acceleration Fund''.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Fund $1,000,000,000, to remain 
available until expended.
(c) Marine Energy Demonstration Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct competitive 
solicitations for not fewer than twenty marine energy 
demonstration projects that export power to microgrids, 
community grids, or utility-scale grids.
(2) Coordination.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary may coordinate with the National Marine Energy 
Centers and other entities with proven technical expertise to 
support marine energy demonstration projects.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary shall prioritize--
(A) projects that integrate marine energy 
technologies with existing onshore and offshore 
transmission infrastructure, nearshore and offshore 
marine structures, or projects with all necessary 
local, State, and Federal licenses or permits in place;
(B) open water prototype testing;
(C) projects that support energy resilience and 
economic opportunities for rural communities, remote 
areas, Tribal communities, and low-income communities; 
and
(D) projects that power ocean-based scientific 
research and education, and support workforce 
development, national security, and commercial 
activities limited by the availability of existing 
energy resources.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $600,000,000 shall 
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
(d) Advancement of Marine Energy Technologies.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct competitive 
solicitations for--
(A) research and development projects to advance 
marine energy technologies; and
(B) upgrades to research and development facilities 
that advance marine energy technologies.
(2) Coordination.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary may coordinate with industry, the National Marine 
Energy Centers, non-profits, entities with all necessary local, 
State, and Federal licenses or permits in place, National 
Laboratories, Federal agencies involved in the development of 
marine energy technology, other existing marine energy research 
and development programs, and other entities with proven 
technical expertise to support marine energy research, 
development, and demonstration.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary shall prioritize research and development projects 
that--
(A) rapidly design, fabricate, and test marine 
energy systems, subsystems, components, controls, 
domestic manufacturing, and materials to improve 
efficiency, reduce costs, reduce environmental impacts, 
increase power production, and improve reliability at a 
variety of technology readiness levels that promote 
domestic manufacturing, a domestic supply chain, and 
energy independence;
(B) educate the public, policymakers, investors, 
educators, and other stakeholders about the potential 
for deployment of marine energy technologies, and 
identify the needs and concerns of local communities 
where marine energy projects may be placed; and
(C) support the development of technologies to 
monitor and mitigate impacts to marine and coastal 
ecosystems and communities.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund--
(A) $230,000,000 shall be available to the 
Secretary for technology research and development 
activities under this subsection; and
(B) $20,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary 
for providing marine energy and education activities 
under this subsection through the National Marine 
Energy Centers.
(e) Assessment of Technical Resource Potential.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, and other agencies, as appropriate, 
shall assess the economic potential of marine energy at not 
fewer than 50 sites that previous agency assessments and 
modeling have determined to have significant marine energy 
potential.
(2) Requirements.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary shall--
(A) develop, with input from interested parties, 
in-depth marine energy resource and conditions 
characterizations for each site;
(B) deploy environmental monitoring technologies, 
tools, and data collection to understand and mitigate 
potential environmental risks, characterize potential 
conflicts with other users of the local marine 
resources, optimize marine energy devices and arrays, 
and reduce costs;
(C) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
the sites are geographically distributed to assess 
marine energy resources and technologies in different 
regions of the United States;
(D) where applicable, carry out technical resource 
assessments in coordination with Regional Ocean 
Partnerships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Office for Coastal Management; and
(E) use such technical resource assessments to 
inform the location of the marine energy demonstration 
projects under subsection (c).
(3) Data sharing.--Data collected under this subsection 
shall be shared with public data repositories for use among 
regional ocean data portals and partnerships.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $50,000,000 shall 
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
(f) Improvement of Permitting.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Corps of Engineers, and other agencies as 
needed, shall convene a task force with the appropriate Federal 
and State agencies to prepare a report that--
(A) describes any barriers under the jurisdiction 
of such agencies to the development of marine energy 
projects; and
(B) provides recommendations on reducing such 
barriers, including identification and determination of 
opportunities to improve the regulatory process 
associated with the authorities required to deploy and 
license marine energy projects, consistent with the 
National Environmental Policy Act.
(2) Requirements.--The task force convened under paragraph 
(1) shall--
(A) develop recommendations for efficient 
permitting processes that reduce the time, cost, and 
uncertainty for marine energy projects, consistent with 
the National Environmental Policy Act;
(B) determine whether additional staff are required 
to be hired and trained at the appropriate Federal 
agencies to process permits and conduct environmental 
reviews in a timely and efficient manner;
(C) conduct outreach to stakeholders;
(D) facilitate Federal coordination with State 
permitting processes for marine energy projects, 
including by providing staff training for State and 
territory permitting agencies; and
(E) not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, submit to Congress the report 
prepared under paragraph (1).
(3) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, to carry out this 
subsection--
(A) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Department 
of Energy;
(B) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission; and
(C) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management.
(g) Workforce.--
(1) Assessment.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a national 
assessment of the prospective marine energy workforce and 
hiring needs and the educational pathways and programs that 
would address those needs.
(2) Development programs.--The Secretary shall launch 
workforce development programs based on the assessment 
conducted under paragraph (1), in partnership with the National 
Marine Energy Centers, the marine energy industry, institutions 
of higher education, labor unions, non-profits, and career and 
technical education programs.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary shall prioritize workforce development programs in 
communities near the location of the marine energy 
demonstration projects under subsection (c).
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $85,000,000 shall 
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
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