[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5304-S5305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5822. Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. King) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. 
Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) and intended to be proposed to the 
bill H.R. 7900, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle F of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1276. AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR THE ARCTIC REGION.

       Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
     1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 64. UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR THE ARCTIC 
                   REGION.

       ``(a) Establishment.--There is authorized within the 
     Department of State an Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic 
     Region, appointed under subsection (b).
       ``(b) Appointment.--The Ambassador shall be appointed by 
     the President, by, and with the advice and consent of the 
     Senate.
       ``(c) Duties.--The Ambassador is authorized to represent 
     the United States in matters and cases relevant to Arctic 
     affairs and shall be responsible to the Secretary of State 
     for all matters, programs, and related activities pertaining 
     to the Arctic region in the conduct of foreign policy by the 
     Department, including, as appropriate, leading the 
     coordination of programs carried out by United States 
     Government agencies abroad, and such other related duties as 
     the Secretary may from time to time designate.
       ``(d) Areas of Responsibility.--The Ambassador-at-Large for 
     the Arctic Region is authorized to maintain continuous 
     observation and coordination of all matters indicated by the 
     Secretary of State, including those pertaining to energy, 
     environment, trade, and infrastructure development and 
     maintenance, and, in consultation with the heads of other 
     relevant departments and agencies, those pertaining to law 
     enforcement and political-military affairs in the conduct of 
     foreign policy in the Arctic, including programs carried out 
     by other United States Government agencies when such programs 
     pertain to the following matters, to the extent directed by 
     the Secretary of State:
       ``(1) National security.
       ``(2) Strengthening cooperation among Arctic countries.
       ``(3) The promotion of responsible natural resource 
     management and economic development.
       ``(4) Protecting the Arctic environment and conserving its 
     biological resources.
       ``(5) Arctic indigenous peoples, including by involving 
     them in decisions that affect them.
       ``(6) Scientific monitoring and research.
       ``(e) Additional Duties.--In addition to the duties and 
     responsibilities specified in subsections (c) and (d), the 
     Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic Region shall also carry 
     out such other relevant duties as the Secretary may assign.
       ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Arctic region.--The term `Arctic region' means--
       ``(A) the geographic region north of the 66.56083 parallel 
     latitude north of the equator;
       ``(B) all the United States territory north and west of the 
     boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim 
     Rivers;

[[Page S5305]]

       ``(C) all contiguous seas, including the Arctic Ocean and 
     the Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas; and
       ``(D) the Aleutian Chain.
       ``(2) Arctic countries.--The term `Arctic countries' means 
     the permanent members of the Arctic Council, namely the 
     United States, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, 
     Finland, and Russia.''.
                                 ______