I want to thank the gentleman from Florida for having this hearing today, and I look forward to the great work he’ll accomplish as Chairman of this subcommittee.
On the surface, today’s topic might seem mundane. However, if you delve deeper into the theme of this hearing, it becomes one of the most important topics we can discuss.
Our oceans and their vast assets are vital to global influence. Every nation depends on the ocean—whether as a trade route for imports and exports or as a direct source of essential materials needed to prosper. They also possess numerous existing infrastructures and untapped resources that are critical to a thriving economy.
This unavoidable dependence on our oceans is why I’m examining today’s hearing through the lens of national security. Exploring the ocean can improve data on the visibility and accuracy of sonar, surveying can provide valuable information on deep-sea mining, and monitoring can ensure the safety of undersea cables and communications lines.
Staying at the forefront of the technologies that support these fields is key for maintaining and strengthening our national security.
That is why I’m pleased to have Oceaneering—a Houston-based company that operates the world’s largest fleet of work-class remotely operated vehicles—here today.
They have nearly perfected the model of developing innovative, dual-use technologies that meet both their business needs and the demands of thehttps://science.house.gov/2025/3/to-the-depths-and-beyond-examining-blue-economy-technologies U.S. Navy and other federal agencies.
There’s no need for our federal researchers to start from scratch in order to invent world-changing technology.
Private companies—like those testifying today—are already ten steps ahead in this process and stand ready to share their expertise or even deploy their ready-to-go technology.
I look forward to hearing about examples of this innovation and exploring ways to better position the federal government to capitalize on it.
Thank you, and I yield back.