Thank you, Chairman Johnson, for holding this mark-up. Today we will consider six bipartisan bills.
The first is H.R. 34, the Energy and Water Research Integration Act, a bill that aims to improve our understanding of the critical relationship between energy and water.
Water and energy management is a regional issue with diverse challenges, ranging from agriculture and biofuels production to natural gas production.
The energy-water nexus research authorized in this bill could improve efficiency and production in both sectors. That’s why I cosponsored this legislation, and I’m committed to working with Chairwoman Johnson to move this bill forward.
I also want to thank the Chairwoman for working with us to incorporate comments from the Department of Energy and other stakeholders, which we’ll address through a bipartisan manager’s amendment this morning.
Our second bill this morning is the American Manufacturing Leadership Act. This legislation reauthorizes and amends the bipartisan Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation (RAMI) Act of 2014.
It includes important reforms to better coordinate centers for manufacturing innovation funded by all relevant agencies and incorporates GAO recommendations on management. This bill also prioritizes manufacturing workforce development and outreach to small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Next, we will consider four bills addressing the issue of ocean acidification. H.R. 1237, the “COAST Act,” reauthorizes and updates the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009.
This bill will reauthorize ocean and coastal acidification research, monitoring, and adaptation programs, and improve coordination between federal agencies exploring this challenge.
H.R. 1716, the “Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019,” directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to study the impact ocean acidification could have on our coastal communities and identify potential mitigation strategies.
H.R. 1921, the “Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2019,” creates a federal prize competition to encourage innovative approaches to understanding this challenge or developing solutions to ocean acidification.
And finally, H.R. 988, the “NEAR Act of 2019,” sponsored by Congressman Posey, authorizes the National Academies of Science to conduct a study on the impacts of ocean acidification and other environmental stressors on coastal waterways.
The research authorized in these four bills will bring us one step closer to finding innovative solutions to the challenge of ocean acidification and will improve the sustainability and overall health of our ecosystems. I want to thank the bipartisan group of Members representing coastal districts who developed this legislation.
Once again, thank you, Chairwoman Johnson, for holding today’s mark-up, and I encourage the Members of this Committee to support these bills.
I yield the balance of my time.