Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the brave and selfless members of our nation's Coast Guard. I also rise to urge my colleagues to join me in working to develop America's maritime and shipbuilding workforce to meet the growing demand of the offshore wind industry.
I am concerned that the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which is a critical piece of legislation, includes language that would be detrimental to the budding domestic offshore wind industry. If enacted without changes, this bill would significantly slow our transition to clean, renewable, and domestic energy. We have seen this worrisome provision before. Numerous stakeholders, then and now, have expressed concern that crewing requirements on globally rare vessels that are already in high demand would make it all but impossible for offshore wind projects to move forward in the near term.
While I certainly share the goal of expanding opportunities for American mariners in offshore wind farm construction, this jeopardizes jobs in offshore wind manufacturing as well as jobs that will last decades in offshore wind turbine operations and maintenance. While I plan to vote for this legislation due to the important work of our nation's Coast Guard, I urge my colleagues to work together and remove this shortsighted provision.
Last spring, in the interest of finding a path to empower American workers without threatening progress in the near term, I introduced the Offshore Wind American Manufacturing Act. This Act requires the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to inform public and private investment in shipbuilding and workforce training to support the Biden Administration's goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. The study would also identify ways that current policies could be strengthened to support American workers, including new opportunities for American mariners interested in installing offshore wind on the outer continental shelf.
This study is a pragmatic approach that balances our responsibility to reduce emissions and support American workers and mariners. Thanks to momentum generated by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, offshore wind has the potential to catalyze major investments in American manufacturing and shipbuilding. By studying opportunities to maximize the role of American mariners and shipbuilders in meeting these goals, we ensure that we do not allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
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