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119-s-318119th Congress

ANCHOR Act

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Passed Senate

Summary

This bill would require a coordinated plan to upgrade cybersecurity and telecommunications across the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. It directs the National Science Foundation Director to deliver, within one year, an assessment of network needs, cybersecurity needs, costs, timelines, and funding options to support research vessels and their missions.

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  • Researchers and ship crews: The plan would set network speed and bandwidth targets and identify equipment needs like satellite communications and shipboard or shoreside high performance computing to enable telemedicine, uploading scientific data to shore, real-time streaming for remote experts, and remote support for instruments and repairs.
  • Federal agencies, funders, and fleet owners: The plan must include cost estimates and a spending plan that shows potential funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, non-Federal vessel owners, users of the fleet, or combinations of those parties. It also examines timeframes under different budget scenarios.
  • Cybersecurity and workforce: In consultation with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the plan would apply cybersecurity recommendations from the JASON report, propose standards for encryption and incident response, and recommend access to cybersecurity personnel and training, including handling controlled unclassified or classified information.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Plan to secure academic research ships

The National Science Foundation Director would have to deliver a plan within one year to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications for U.S. academic research ships. The plan would assess network and cybersecurity needs tied to ship missions, with input from CISA and NIST. It would estimate costs for equipment like satellite links, software, and shipboard and shoreside computer clusters, plus extra staff, training, support, and logistics. It would map how long upgrades would take under different budgets, consider shared or centralized services, and include a spending plan with non‑Federal vessel owners, NSF, the Office of Naval Research, and fleet users. The plan would consider bandwidth for core ship functions, telemedicine, data uploads, real‑time streaming for remote science and maintenance, and follow guidance like the 2021 JASON report, encryption, and incident response standards.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 1/29/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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