[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ACCELERATING NETWORKING, CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE, AND HARDWARE FOR OCEANIC 
                              RESEARCH ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. HALEY M. STEVENS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2025

  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1223, the 
Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic 
Research Act, or ANCHOR Act. I would like to thank my colleague, 
Representative Vince Fong (R-CA), for working with me to advance this 
bipartisan legislation. I would also like to thank Senators Alex 
Padilla (D-CA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) for taking up this important 
legislation in the Senate.
  The Blue Heron, a research vessel operated by the University of 
Minnesota Duluth, is the only U.S. Academic Research Fleet vessel 
operating in the Great Lakes. It provides critical research that 
informs science-based decisions to protect Michigan's gift to the 
country, our Great Lakes. These vessels represent a global network of 
essential research platforms that advance our understanding of the 
world's marine and freshwater ecosystems. It is paramount for 
Michiganders that the Blue Heron and the entire fleet have the 
resources they need to operate safely, securely. and effectively for 
years to come.
  However, just like every part of our modern economy, these vessels 
are increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. For the past 
several years, the National Science Foundation has taken steps to 
harden terrestrial research infrastructure, especially after major 
telescopes were disabled for weeks in 2023 due to a cyber incident. It 
is vital that NSF also hardens the cyberinfrastructure capabilities of 
the Blue Heron, and the entire Academic Research Fleet.
  This common-sense, bipartisan, bicameral legislation is designed to 
support the efforts of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet to advance 
their cyberinfrastructure and networks to ensure they are protected and 
able to continue to do their important work. The ANCHOR Act directs the 
National Science Foundation to develop a plan to modernize the Academic 
Research Fleet's information technology, including its cybersecurity 
practices, to carry out the fleet's mission to deliver critical science 
that protects Michigan's Great Lakes.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill to secure and 
modernize the IT systems used by our academic research fleet.

                          ____________________