Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act or the ANCHOR Act
This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications capabilities of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF).
ARF is comprised of U.S.-flagged vessels that provide at-sea laboratories where oceanographic scientists, educators, and students research and learn about marine science.
The bill requires the plan to include assessments of
The plan must also include a spending plan for the NSF, the Office of Naval Research, nonfederal owners of ARF vessels, and users of the vessels to cover identified costs.
Among other factors specified in the bill, the NSF must consider, as appropriate, the network capabilities necessary to meet mission needs (e.g., to upload data to cloud-based or shoreside servers), international standards and guidance for information security, and requirements for controlled unclassified or classified information.
The plan must be provided to Congress within 18 months of the bill's enactment, and the NSF must later report to Congress on the plan's implementation.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1223 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1223
To require a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications
of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 12, 2025
Mr. Fong (for himself and Ms. Stevens) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications
of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Accelerating Networking,
Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act'' or the
``ANCHOR Act''.
SEC. 2. PLAN TO IMPROVE CYBERSECURITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS OF U.S.
ACADEMIC RESEARCH FLEET.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with other Federal
agency owners and the head of any university or laboratory that owns or
operates a vessel of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, shall submit to
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate
and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a plan to improve the cybersecurity and
telecommunications of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet.
(b) Elements.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall include--
(1) an assessment of the telecommunications and networking
needs of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, consistent with the
typical scientific mission of each vessel;
(2) in accordance with guidance issued by the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute
for Standards and Technology, an assessment of cybersecurity
needs appropriate for--
(A) the operation of vessels within the U.S.
Academic Research Fleet; and
(B) the specific research functions and activities
of such vessels;
(3) an assessment of the costs necessary to meet the needs
described in paragraphs (1) and (2), including--
(A) any necessary equipment costs in excess of
current expenditures, such as satellite communications
equipment, software, high-performance computing
infrastructure shipboard and shoreside, or enterprise
hardware;
(B) estimated personnel costs in excess of current
expenditures, including any necessary training,
support, or logistics; and
(C) the estimated impact on daily charter rates
associated with the costs described in subparagraphs
(A) and (B);
(4) an assessment of the time required to implement any
upgrades required to meet the needs described in paragraphs (1)
and (2) under varying budgets and funding scenarios;
(5) an assessment of opportunities for the adoption of
common solutions or consortial licensing agreements, or for the
centralization of elements of fleet cybersecurity,
telecommunications, or data management at a single facility;
and
(6) in consultation with any non-Federal owners of a vessel
of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, a spending plan for the
National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, non-
Federal owners of vessels of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet,
users of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, or any combination
thereof, to provide funding to cover the costs described in
paragraph (3).
(c) Considerations.--The Director in preparing the plan required by
subsection (a), shall, as appropriate, consider the following:
(1) The network capabilities, including speed and bandwidth
targets, necessary to meet the scientific mission needs of each
class of vessel within the U.S. Academic Research Fleet for
such purposes as--
(A) executing the critical functions and
communications of each vessel;
(B) providing network access for the health and
well-being of deployed personnel, including
communications to conduct telemedicine (including
mental health care), counseling, interviews with crisis
response providers, and other remote individual care
and services;
(C) as necessary to meet operations, uploading any
scientific data to a cloud-based server or shoreside
server, including the copying of data off ship for
disaster recovery or risk mitigation purposes;
(D) conducting real-time streaming to enable shore-
based observers to participate in ship-based
maintenance or research activities;
(E) scientific instrumentation so that it is
possible to conduct scientific surveys and seafloor
mapping with fully remote subject matter experts;
(F) critical operational technology by
manufacturers and vendors so that it is possible to
carry out maintenance and repairs to systems with
limited expertise on each vessel, with fully remote
subject matter experts advising; and
(G) enabling video communications to allow improved
outreach to, and other educational services for, K-12
students, including occasional remote classroom
teaching for instructors at sea to improve
oceanographic access for students.
(2) In consultation with the Director of the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Director of the
National Institute for Standards and Technology, and the heads
of other Federal agencies, as appropriate--
(A) the cybersecurity recommendations in the report
of the private scientific advisory group known as JASON
entitled ``Cybersecurity at NSF Major Facilities''
(JSR-21-10E) and dated October 2021 as applied to the
U.S. Academic Research Fleet;
(B) aligning with international standards and
guidance for information security, including the use of
encryption for sensitive information, the detection and
handling of security incidents, and other areas
determined relevant by the Director;
(C) facilitating access to cybersecurity personnel
and training of research and support personnel; and
(D) the requirements for controlled unclassified or
classified information.
(d) Implementation of and Report on Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Director, in coordination with the
Office of Naval Research, non-Federal owners of vessels of the
Academic Research Fleet, users of the U.S. Academic Research
Fleet, or any combination thereof, may support upgrades to the
cyberinfrastructure and cybersecurity of the U.S. Academic
Research Fleet consistent with the plan required by subsection
(a).
(2) Report required.--Not later than two years after the
submission of the plan required by subsection (a), the Director
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report
describing the progress made in implementing the plan.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(2) Oceanographic research vessel.--The term
``oceanographic research vessel'' has the meaning given the
term in section 2101 of title 46, United States Code.
(3) U.S. academic research fleet.--The term ``U.S Academic
Research Fleet'' means the United States-flagged vessels that--
(A) are operated as oceanographic research vessels
by research universities and laboratories;
(B) have achieved designation as a member vessel of
the U.S. Academic Research Fleet through the standard
U.S. Academic Research Fleet evaluation process; and
(C) have been accepted into, and are active
participants within, the University-National
Oceanographic Laboratory System.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Mr. Fong moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2113-2115)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1223.
At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Babin objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2168)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 11 (Roll no. 136). (text: 5/19/2025 CR H2113-2114)
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 11 (Roll no. 136). (text: 5/19/2025 CR H2113-2114)
Roll Call #136 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.