[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2786 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2786

      To establish a Federal advisory committee to provide policy 
 recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on positioning the 
 United States to take advantage of emerging opportunities for Arctic 
                        maritime transportation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 2019

 Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Sullivan) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To establish a Federal advisory committee to provide policy 
 recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on positioning the 
 United States to take advantage of emerging opportunities for Arctic 
                        maritime transportation.

    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 ``Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory 
Committee Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish a Federal advisory 
committee to provide policy recommendations to the Secretary of 
Transportation on positioning the United States to take advantage of 
emerging opportunities for Arctic maritime transportation.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Advisory committee.--The term ``Advisory Committee'' 
        means the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee 
        established under section 4(a).
            (2) Arctic.--The term ``Arctic'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 
        1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111).
            (3) Arctic sea routes.--The term ``Arctic Sea Routes'' 
        means the international Northern Sea Route, the Transpolar Sea 
        Route, and the Northwest Passage.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ARCTIC SHIPPING FEDERAL ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation 
with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense acting through 
the Secretary of the Army, and the Secretary of the Department in which 
the Coast Guard is operating, shall establish an Arctic Shipping 
Federal Advisory Committee in the Department of Transportation to 
advise the Secretary of Transportation on matters related to Arctic 
maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed 
        of 15 members as described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Composition.--The members of the Advisory Committee 
        shall be--
                    (A) 1 individual appointed and designated by the 
                Secretary of Transportation to serve as the Chairperson 
                of the Advisory Committee;
                    (B) 1 designee of the Secretary of Commerce;
                    (C) 1 designee of the Secretary of State;
                    (D) 1 designee of the Secretary of Transportation;
                    (E) 1 designee of the Secretary of the Department 
                in which the Coast Guard is operating;
                    (F) 1 designee of the Department of Defense;
                    (G) 1 designee from the State of Alaska, nominated 
                by the Governor of Alaska and designated by the 
                Secretary of Transportation;
                    (H) 1 designee from the State of Washington, 
                nominated by the Governor of Washington and designated 
                by the Secretary of Transportation;
                    (I) 1 Alaska Native Tribal member;
                    (J) 1 individual representing Alaska Native 
                subsistence co-management groups affected by Arctic 
                maritime transportation;
                    (K) 1 individual representing coastal communities 
                affected by Arctic shipping;
                    (L) 1 individual representing the shipping 
                industry;
                    (M) 1 individual representing the marine safety 
                community;
                    (N) 1 individual representing the Arctic business 
                community; and
                    (O) 1 individual representing Alaskan maritime 
                labor organizations.
            (3) Terms.--
                    (A) Limitations.--Each member of the Advisory 
                Committee described in subparagraphs (G) through (O) of 
                paragraph (2) shall serve for a 2-year term and shall 
                not be eligible for more than 2 consecutive term 
                reappointments.
                    (B) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the membership of 
                the Advisory Committee shall not affect its 
                responsibilities, but shall be filled in the same 
                manner as the original appointment.
    (c) Functions.--The Advisory Committee shall carry out all of the 
following functions:
            (1) Develop a set of policy recommendations that would 
        enhance the leadership role played by the United States in 
        improving the safety and reliability of Arctic maritime 
        transportation in accordance with customary international 
        maritime law, which shall include options for establishing a 
        United States entity that could perform the following functions 
        in accordance with customary international maritime law:
                    (A) Construction, operation, and maintenance of 
                current and future maritime infrastructure necessary 
                for vessels transiting the Arctic Sea Routes, including 
                new deepwater ports.
                    (B) Provision of services that would improve Arctic 
                maritime safety and environmental protection, including 
                for navigation and incident response for vessels 
                transiting the Arctic Sea Routes.
                    (C) Establishment of rules of measurement for 
                vessels and cargo for the purposes of levying voluntary 
                rates of charges or fees for services.
            (2) As an option under paragraph (1), consider establishing 
        a congressionally chartered seaway development corporation 
        modeled on the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, 
        and--
                    (A) develop recommendations for establishing such a 
                corporation and a detailed implementation plan for 
                establishing such an entity; or
                    (B) if the Advisory Committee decides against 
                establishing such a corporation, provide a written 
                explanation as to the rationale for the decision and 
                develop an alternative.
            (3) Provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of 
        Transportation as requested on Arctic marine transportation, 
        including seaway development.

SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Advisory Committee shall submit a report with its recommendations under 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 4(c) to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    Not later than 8 years after the submission of the report described 
in section 5, the Secretary of Transportation shall dissolve the 
Advisory Committee.

SEC. 7. INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.

    If a Special Representative for the Arctic Region is appointed by 
the Secretary of State, the duties of that Representative shall 
include--
            (1) coordination of any activities recommended by the 
        implementation plan submitted by the Advisory Committee and 
        approved by the Secretary of Transportation; and
            (2) facilitation of multilateral dialogues with member and 
        observer nations of the Arctic Council to encourage cooperation 
        on Arctic maritime transportation.
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