[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 184 (Monday, November 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6618-S6619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



             Ted Stevens Arctic Center for Security Studies

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, it was several weeks ago--actually, 
October 23--that here in the Senate we had the opportunity to recognize 
a friend of so many of us; a mentor, certainly, to me; and a leader in 
Alaska. We recognized the life and contributions of Senator Ted 
Stevens.
  The Alaska congressional delegation was able to join with members of 
the Stevens family, many of his friends, his congressional colleagues, 
and a lot of former staff. We were able to unveil a portrait of Senator 
Stevens that had been commissioned for him as the President pro tempore 
of the Senate. It was a lovely ceremony and a great occasion, and now 
his portrait hangs back in the hall, behind where the Presiding Officer 
is sitting.
  It was a great occasion to be remembering the contributions of Ted 
Stevens. He represented my State from 1968 to 2009. He was the longest 
serving Republican Senator in Senate history at the time that he left 
office.
  He left office with considerable policy legacies. Those in the 
fishing industry remember the work he did with Senator Magnuson in 
creating the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which really has become the 
framework for our sustainable fisheries. It is something we continue to 
look to. He also worked in sports with the creation of the U.S. 
Paralympics. We remember his encouragement and all that he did with 
women and girls in sports regarding title IX.
  We all know his background and his history. He was a pilot in World 
War II. Certainly, here in the Senate, he was a staunch advocate for 
our veterans and for all of our military. He worked hand in glove with 
his Senate brother and friend, Senator Daniel Inouye, chairing not only 
the Appropriations Committee itself but also the Subcommittee on 
Defense Appropriations. In that role, he helped to advance so many of 
our national priorities.
  Today is Ted Stevens' birthday. If he were alive today, he would be 
96 years old. Later this evening, there is going to be a gathering. It 
is an annual gathering on November 18, when friends of Ted gather to 
raise a glass to a wonderful man, a strong leader, a great Alaskan, and 
truly a friend of mine.
  I think today Ted Stevens would be smiling at what Senator Sullivan, 
Congressman Young, and I were able to observe this morning.
  The three of us--the full Alaska delegation--were in Fort Worth, TX, 
at the Lockheed Martin plant, and we were able to participate in the 
signing as we seek to roll off the line the first F-35 that will be 
based there at Eielson Air Force Base. It will be the first of two 
squadrons with there being a total complement of 54 F-35s. It was a 
reminder to all of us of all we have done in the State of Alaska in our 
focusing on Alaska's geostrategic position, not in the country but in 
the world.
  Ted Stevens clearly recognized that. He was a visionary in so many 
areas, and he was certainly a visionary when it came to understanding 
the promise but also the challenge of the Arctic itself and how we were 
to ensure that in this region. It is a region that is pretty remote and 
pretty isolated, but it is a region that is prepared and then, with 
that preparation, is able to protect.
  As we think about that role today that Senator Stevens envisioned for 
Alaska in terms of our role in protecting and defending the country but 
also our broader, more global role and responsibility, I come to talk 
about legislation that I have introduced, along with Senator Sullivan, 
to authorize the Department of Defense to create a sixth regional 
center for security studies that is focused on the Arctic.
  I think it is very, very clear to us that the Department of Defense, 
in particular, is keying in on the challenges that we face in the 
Arctic. With the growing prominence of the Arctic and global 
geopolitical and strategic affairs, now is the time to give the 
Department of Defense the tools as well as the abilities that it needs 
to foster the research and the dialogue that we think will be critical 
to our Nation's security.
  Let me give a little bit of background in terms of these regional 
centers. Currently, the Department of Defense has five academic 
regional centers for security studies. They cover the regions of 
Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Near East South Asia, and the 
Northern Hemisphere. What these centers aim to do is to support defense 
strategy objectives and policy priorities through a pretty unique 
academic forum, as well as to foster strong international networks of 
security leaders.
  Just to give a kind of basic comparison of what we are talking about 
here, in specifics, the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is 
actually fully entitled the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for 
Security Studies. It was established in Hawaii back in 1995, but it is 
a DOD institution that provides a forum at which current and future 
military and civilian leaders from the Indo-Pacific gather to address 
regional and global security issues and enhance security cooperation 
through programs of executive education, professional exchange, and 
building relationships of trust and confidence. Currently, over 30 
countries send participants to engage, to learn, and to really build 
those relationships.
  The Ted Stevens Arctic Security Studies Center, which is what we seek 
to name this Arctic center, will be modeled after the Daniel K. Inouye 
Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. There being the fact that the 
two of them worked hand in glove for so many years--really, for 
decades--on these issues of national security and national defense from 
both the perspective of the far north as well as the Asia-Pacific, it 
is only fitting that we model the Ted Stevens Arctic Security Studies 
Center after the Arctic center named after Daniel Inouye.
  Senator Schatz clearly understands the value of the Asia-Pacific 
center, and he has joined Senator Sullivan and me as a cosponsor of 
this legislation.
  What we are really seeking to do here--the overarching goal of this 
Arctic security studies center--is to find solutions for the greatest 
security challenges of the circumpolar Arctic region in order to help 
promote a greater understanding of the Arctic--we know we have to do 
more there--as well as to facilitate greater engagement and potential 
solutions for the many challenges that we know lie ahead.
  It is an evolving world up there. Let me tell you that it is an 
evolving world. As we are seeing the impact from climate changes, as we 
are seeing ice recede, as we are seeing waterways open up, as we are 
seeing greater access, as we are seeing greater threats, what are we 
doing to prepare?
  I think it is important to recognize that the proposed center would 
be additive in nature. It is not looking to take away from any of the 
other very excellent efforts that support the DOD's mission in the 
Arctic. What we are seeking to do is to provide additional value while 
creating new partnerships and supporting critical research. We hope--
certainly, it is the intent here--to complement current structures, 
like the multinational Security Forces Roundtable, led by USEUCOM and 
the Norwegian Defence Staff. The center will build on the Arctic Coast 
Guard Forum, wherein, effectively, you have senior leaders from the 
Coast Guards from all over the Arctic nations gather to discuss defense 
and security concerns.

  Just this last Thursday, I had an opportunity to be part and spoke 
via videoconference of the importance of this strategic dialogue at the 
Arctic Symposiums and Arctic Senior Leader Summits, which was held by 
NORTHCOM and ALCOM.

[[Page S6619]]

  Again, what we are seeking to do here is to help facilitate the array 
of international senior leaders and Arctic subject matter experts to 
come together for these substantive dialogues on the Arctic. The Arctic 
presents an opportunity to expand the DOD Regional Center's model to 
study the rapid changes in communications, technology, environment, and 
societies in remote and sparsely populated areas with underdeveloped 
infrastructure.
  I mentioned that this would be additive in nature, that we seek to 
collaborate with other current structures that are doing good work, but 
we seek to have close partnerships with research centers like we have 
at the Wilson Center's Polar Institute, at the University of Alaska 
Fairbanks' Arctic Domain Awareness Center, as well as at the Coast 
Guard Academy Center for Arctic Study and Policy.
  We need to have strong involvement from Native leaders and indigenous 
peoples. How we incorporate and how we elevate the Native expertise in 
the Arctic that has been informed by centuries of experience of having 
lived in the region must also be a priority. The center should also be 
used as a joint commanded venue with Canada and other Arctic partners. 
This would be effectively replicating the success of the model that we 
have with the George C. Marshall Center with Germany.
  Since Senator Sullivan and I introduced this bill to establish this 
new DOD Arctic security studies center, we have gotten great input. I 
am pleased that we have seen a lot of interest from within our State 
and outside as well. Several have reached out to our offices to express 
their interest in supporting and developing the concept of this center.
  I think we see Arctic security emerging as an area of threat as well 
as interest, and it certainly remains the likely spillover conflict 
area should confrontations occur within Europe or Asia. So great 
scholarship, plus international and interdisciplinary engagement from 
an Arctic center, would help to advance defense readiness, develop our 
awareness, and improve ally and partner capabilities to support 
multinational security cooperation across the circumpolar Arctic.
  This is something that I am excited to be working on, and I know 
Senator Sullivan is as well. I invite other colleagues to join us in 
this effort. I think that our friend Ted Stevens would approve of this 
as well.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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