Deluzio Coordinates Naval Research & Innovation Expo to Spur Investment & Job Creation in Western PA

PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), a Navy veteran and member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, coordinated and attended an Expo event to connect the U.S. Navy’s Office of Research and Innovation with Western PA companies, universities, and the region’s wider technology industry. The goal of the Expo, co-hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection, was to lay the groundwork for future Navy investments and contracts in Western PA. It is the latest in Congressman Deluzio’s ongoing efforts to grow good jobs, promote U.S. manufacturing, support new and smaller businesses entering the defense industrial base, and drive more Department of Defense and Navy investment in Western PA.

“Western PA is a powerhouse with manufacturing expertise, groundbreaking research universities that create a pipeline for highly-skilled and innovative talent, and a rapidly-growing technology hub—the perfect place for Navy investment,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Today’s event directly showed U.S. Navy leadership a lot that our region has to offer, and helped make connections that I hope will lead to investments and new, good-paying jobs in Western PA.” 

Congressman Deluzio is a leading voice on strengthening America’s defense industrial base and supercharging American manufacturing to compete with economic competitors like China. Recently, the core pieces of the Congressman’s 2024 Shipbuilding Innovation Act were included in section 501 and 521 of the SHIPS for America Act, the larger bipartisan and bicameral legislative package on shipbuilding. Section 501 creates a program for the United States Maritime Administration to invest in United States shipyards and the construction of American-made ships, authorizing a yearly appropriation of $250 million through 2035. Section 521 creates a maritime innovation program to advance and accelerate research and development for new technologies and manufacturing processes for the maritime industry. 

Congressman Deluzio is also focused on highlighting and growing Defense Department investments in Western Pennsylvania. He recently toured the Curtiss Wright facility in Cheswick that manufactures critical components for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. 

Captain Joel Uzarski from the U.S. Navy’s Office of Research and Innovation flew in from Washington to participate in today's Expo. Staff from the offices of Senators Fetterman and McCormick also attended. Expo vendors included the following companies: Aquatonomy, Biointerphase, Blue Waive AI Labs, Catalyst Connection, Compass Systems, Core Power Magnetics, Gecko Robotics, Ghost Works, KEF Robotics, Lorenz Solar, Near Earth Autonomy, Nokomis, Pittsburgh Coastal Energy, Powerex, Qintel, and Titan Robotics. 

Photos from the Expo are available for use by the press upon request.

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