After Courtney, Amo, Magaziner, Unions Urge Opposition, House Votes Down Measure to Further Delay Offshore Wind Energy Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01), Ranking Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee, and Congressman Seth Magaziner (RI-02), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement after the House voted in a bipartisan fashion (209-224) against an amendment to the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, which would have required the Department of Defense to issue duplicative certifications of all offshore wind projects in the North and Mid-Atlantic, including the Revolution Wind Project, which has already been rigorously reviewed and approved by the Department of Defense. This amendment was opposed by the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) because of the negative impact to union jobs.

"While thousands of Rhode Island and Connecticut union jobs hang in the balance and households continue to face high electricity costs, this Republican amendment would have forced the 80% complete Revolution Wind project to be unnecessarily re-reviewed by the Department of Defense, prolonging the Administration's unjustified August 22^nd halt work order. The project has already been extensively reviewed and vetted by the Department of Defense. Any additional review would be redundant and unnecessary," the lawmakers said. "The Administration still has not provided any detailed justification for its order to halt the Revolution Wind project. Time is the enemy for thousands of jobs and the hundreds of thousands of homes set to receive cheaper electricity from the project. The Administration must lift its halt work order immediately."

LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA STATEMENT IN OPPOSITION TO THE AMENDMENT:

"On behalf of the more than 530,000 members of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), I write to express our opposition to the amendment offered by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), which adds further obstacles to the development of offshore wind projects," wrote LIUNA General President Brent Booker. "This amendment will help destroy thousands of union jobs on a project that is 80% complete, as well as serving as an impediment to future projects designed to make the United States more energy independent."

BACKGROUND

The Trump Administration's August 22^nd halt work order for the Revolution Wind project cites vague national security "concerns". The Revolution Wind offshore wind energy project has already been reviewed and vetted by the Department of Defense as detailed in a 2023 Record of Decision and a December 2024 letter from the Department of Defense which states that "the Department of Defense has found that construction of the Revolution Wind project would not have adverse impacts to DoD missions in the area." More than 1,000 union workers have logged more than 2 million hours building the Revolution Wind project.

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