[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5629-H5631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
ACCELERATING NETWORKING, CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE, AND HARDWARE FOR OCEANIC 
                              RESEARCH ACT

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 7630) to require a plan to improve the cybersecurity and 
telecommunications of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7630

       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. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (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) have been accepted into, and are actively participants 
     administered within, the University-National Oceanographic 
     Laboratory System;
       (B) are operated as oceanographic research vessels by 
     research universities and laboratories;
       (C) receive funding from the National Science Foundation; 
     and
       (D) have achieved designation as a member vessel of the 
     U.S. Academic Research Fleet through the standard U.S. 
     Academic Research Fleet evaluation process.

     SEC. 3. PLAN TO IMPROVE CYBERSECURITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
                   OF U.S. ACADEMIC RESEARCH FLEET.

       (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director , in consultation 
     with other Federal agency owners heads of other Federal 
     agencies 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 U.S. Senate and the Committee on 
     Space, Science, and Technology of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives a plan to improve the cybersecurity and 
     telecommunications of the 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;

[[Page H5630]]

       (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 ownership of vessels within the U.S. Academic 
     Research Fleet; and
       (B) the typical research functions and topics 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, such as satellite 
     communications equipment, software, high-performance 
     computing clusters shipboard and shoreside, or enterprise 
     hardware; and
       (B) estimated personnel costs in excess of current 
     expenditures, including any necessary training, support, or 
     logistics;
       (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) a proposal for the adoption of common solutions or 
     consortial licensing agreements, or by centralizing 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 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 shoreside server, including the copying 
     of data off ship for disaster recovery or risk mitigation 
     purposes;
       (D) as appropriate, conducting real-time streaming to 
     enable shore-based observers to participate in ship-based 
     maintenance or research activities;
       (E) real-time coordinated viewing of--
       (i) scientific instrumentation so that it is possible to 
     conduct scientific surveys and seafloor mapping with fully 
     remote subject matter experts; and
       (ii) 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
       (F) as appropriate, 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; and
       (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.

     SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF AND REPORT ON PLAN.

       (a) 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 section 3.
       (b) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     submission of the plan required by section 3, the Director 
     shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Space, 
     Science, and Technology of the House of Representatives a 
     report describing the progress made in implementing the plan.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 7630, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here in support of the ANCHOR Act 
sponsored by my friend, Mr.  Mike Garcia of California.
  The ANCHOR Act establishes the crucial need for better cybersecurity 
in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. This fleet of 18 vessels operates 
in the oceans, the Great Lakes, and the polar regions where they 
conduct crucial research on our marine environments.
  They are studying ecosystems and food webs, offshore energy 
resources, and how we can better forecast and respond to hazards like 
earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.
  Much of what we know about the ocean, from the wave dynamics to the 
deepest trenches, is thanks to research done aboard one of these 
vessels.
  They operate a wide range of specialized equipment, including deep-
towing cameras, state-of-the-art acoustic sensors, and sea floor 
mapping systems. They do this all over the globe, often sailing to 
remote locations far from land.
  This creates a unique challenge because the fleet needs secure and 
reliable communications and data transmissions, whether they are just 
off the coast of California or in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
  That means that each individual vessel needs a specialized 
infrastructure that protects their scientific equipment and ensures the 
security of their data, both on board and in transmission.
  They need this level of security, but they don't have it. This bill 
will change that. The ANCHOR Act directs the National Science 
Foundation to submit a plan for much-needed upgrades to our Academic 
Research Fleet to improve cybersecurity and modernize telecom 
equipment.
  We are directing the NSF to take into account the types of research 
done on each vessel, where they operate, their specialized equipment, 
and the necessary bandwidth for communication.
  This plan is necessary to protect the taxpayer-funded research that 
is being performed by our Academic Research Fleet.
  My fellow Representatives have often heard me talk about the threat 
to our research and intellectual property from the Chinese Communist 
Party.
  We have taken strong steps to protect research done at our Federal 
agencies and in partnership with academic institutions. Now we must 
take the next step and secure the research being done off our coasts.
  I appreciate Representative  Mike Garcia's work on this issue and his 
commitment to strengthen our research enterprise and give it the 
protection it deserves.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the ANCHOR Act and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Academic Research Fleet is made up of an 
impressive array of marine research assets consisting of large and 
small oceanographic vessels, sophisticated submersibles, and high-tech 
autonomous vehicles.
  More impressive is the invaluable research conducted by this fleet. 
It supports critical ocean environmental science that leads to a deeper 
understanding of our Earth system, improved and continuous assessments 
of our Nation's marine natural resources, and serves national security 
interests as well.
  This diverse fleet is managed and operated by a diverse group that 
includes NSF, the Office of Naval Research, Federal research labs, and 
U.S. universities. These various entities bring with them assorted 
cyber infrastructure and networking challenges and vulnerabilities as 
well. This technological struggle has had real detrimental impacts, has 
hindered the production of needed scientific outputs,

[[Page H5631]]

and has placed important expensive projects at risk.
  This legislation directs NSF to collaborate with other appropriate 
agencies and ARF operators on the creation of a networking and 
cybersecurity improvement plan that could address these challenges by 
assessing equipment and personnel costs and time requirements for 
upgrading the fleet and developing a proposal for funding these 
upgrades.
  The Senate companion to this bill, led by California's own Senators 
Padilla and Sullivan, recently passed out of the Senate Commerce 
Committee, so we have a real opportunity to get this bill passed and 
begin the process of closing this unfortunate gap so that the science 
gets done.
  I thank the bill's sponsors, Mr.  Mike Garcia and Ms. Stevens, for 
their work on the ANCHOR Act. I thank the chairman for his continuing 
bipartisanship on the committee.
  We have made tremendous progress this year. I urge everyone to join 
me in supporting the act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr.  Mike Garcia), to speak on his bill.
  Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support and 
thank Chairman Lucas and the committee staff for their support as well 
of H.R. 7630, the ANCHOR Act, which protects our scientific 
infrastructure from CCP espionage.
  I also thank my colleague from across the aisle, Ms. Stevens, for her 
support in cosponsoring this bill as well.
  As I said during the markup of this very important piece of 
legislation, the U.S. is the proud home to some of the best minds in 
the world, minds that keep our Nation on the cutting edge of scientific 
research, driving our national security, our economy, our healthcare, 
and so much more. Those advantages would immediately disappear if we 
allow lapses in our research security to occur.
  The NSF currently owns 17 ships that make up the Academic Research 
Fleet. This fleet enables scientists across the Nation to conduct 
complex research on the ocean, the sea floor, the Great Lakes, remote 
polar regions, and throughout our Nation's borders maritime regions.
  Unfortunately, this fleet is also aging and has become susceptible to 
cyber espionage from the CCP. According to The Wall Street Journal, in 
2019 the fleet was the largest target to more than two-dozen 
cybersecurity attacks by the CCP as part of an elaborate scheme to 
steal research about maritime technology being developed for military 
use.
  Following these attacks, Mr. Speaker, the NSF ordered an independent 
advisory group to provide recommendations for strengthening the 
cybersecurity capabilities of the Academic Research Fleet.
  The ANCHOR Act implements these recommendations to protect the fleet 
and is the tool that the taxpayers will fund to make sure that the 
research they conduct is secure and protected.
  We can't afford to wait, and we can't let China continue to rob us of 
precious American innovations paid for by our constituents.
  I thank Chairman Lucas, again, for his support of my bill, and I urge 
my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman  Mike Garcia, Congresswoman Stevens, 
and Congresswoman Lofgren, my colleague from California and the ranking 
member. This is a good piece of legislation. Let's vote for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7630, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________