[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 166 (Wednesday, October 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7007-S7009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALASKA'S RIGHT TO IVORY SALES AND TRADITION ACT
______
ACCELERATING NETWORKING, CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE, AND HARDWARE FOR OCEANIC
RESEARCH ACT
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I am down on the Senate floor here to
try to pass two really important pieces of legislation for a great part
of Alaska, and this is the Alaska Native community in my State. These
are incredible, patriotic Americans. By the way, Alaska Natives serve
at higher rates in the military than any other ethnic group in the
country. They are great Americans. They add so much to our State. They
are the first peoples of Alaska, and so in my State, it is almost about
20 percent of the population. So it is a population I care deeply
about.
We work closely with them on so many different issues across so many
different areas, and so I like to legislate in the areas that matter to
them. And we are going to do that. You know, lately--and I am going to
try to stay positive here; I have given speeches on the Senate floor
about this before--some of my Democratic colleagues on the other side
of the aisle have taken it out on the Alaska Native people in
legislation, really kind of bad stuff. I am not going to be negative,
but there has been this trend of anti-Alaska Native bias on the other
side of the aisle. It has been very disappointing. To be honest, it has
been puzzling.
But I am hoping today, these two bills that we are going to move
forward that go to the heart of Alaska Native culture in one and Alaska
Native patriotism in the other are going to be UC'd. I know my
Republican colleagues have already passed on these.
So the first piece of legislation I want to bring up is what we call
the Alaska's Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition. The acronym on that is
the ARTIST Act.
Now, let me give you a little bit of background on this. For
thousands of years Alaska Natives have responsibly harvested whales,
walrus, other marine animals from our northern seas. These animals are
eaten, shared, honored, and no part of the animal goes to waste.
They still do this tradition in my State. They have the right to do
it under law. The bones, the ivory, the baleen, even all of those
pieces are used for beautiful art. If you have had a chance to visit my
office, you have seen the beautiful art that adorns the walls of my
Senate office. Carvings made from whale baleen, walrus tusks, crafted
by Alaska Native artists.
This is some of the most beautiful art in America. It is deeply
ingrained in Alaska's culture, the ability to make this art. It also
provides important economic opportunity for our artists in many of
these remote villages, artists who rely on the ability to sell these
works to Alaskans and the hundreds of thousands of people who come to
my great State to visit who want to take home a piece of Alaska Native
heritage. So it is a win-win-win for everybody, but it is an economic
driver of a lot of small villages in my State.
And by the way, carving, harvesting walrus ivory is completely legal
under Federal law, Federal regulations, Federal law. There is no
question about that. However, there has been some, I guess, well-
intentioned laws from some States that in an attempt to ban African
elephant ivory, which we all want to do that--that is not allowed in
America, by the way--States have gone too far and cast this huge net
and said you can't buy any ivory products anywhere, including Alaska
Native products from Alaska walrus harvesting.
This really has hurt my State. People coming up from States that have
banned all ivory say: I can't take that home. I can't buy it. Sorry.
So this is a simple, simple bill. You know, if a visitor wants to
come buy some ivory earrings in Alaska by one of our great Alaska
Native artists and then bring them home to a State that has a ban on
ivory, which is not sensible--again, walrus ivory, not African elephant
ivory--we want to be able to say at the Federal level that we should be
able to do this.
So that is what my ARTIST Act does. It prohibits States from banning
the importation, sale, or possession of Alaskan Native handicrafts made
with walrus ivory. Environmental groups support it. By the way, the
Biden administration supported this. It is straightforward bipartisan
legislation that recently was passed unanimously by the Commerce
Committee.
So this is about as bipartisan as it gets. And what I want to do is
to cut through the confusion that there now exists with certain States
and a lot of tourists in my great State, to affirm the right of the
Alaska Native people to continue these centuries-old practices of
sustainable, respectful ivory carving, entirely within Federal law, and
to be able to make sure that is clarified across the country.
So I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate
consideration of Calendar No. 178, that is S. 254; further, that the
committee-reported substitute amendment be considered and agreed to,
the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and
that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the
table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there an objection?
Mr. PADILLA. Reserving the right to object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I ask that the Senator modify his request
and the Senate proceed to the consideration of the following bills en
bloc: Calendar No. 178, S. 254, and Calendar No. 169, S. 318; that the
committee-reported substitute amendments be considered and agreed to en
bloc; the bills, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed
en bloc; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid
upon the table, all en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator so modify his request?
Mr. SULLIVAN. Yes, I agree to the modification.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bills by title en
bloc.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 254) to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act
of 1972 to protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of
producers of Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal
ivory products, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation with an amendment to strike all
[[Page S7008]]
after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic, as
follows:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska's Right to Ivory
Sales and Tradition Act'' or the ``ARTIST Act''.
SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE HANDICRAFTS.
Section 101(b) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act Of 1972
(16 U.S.C. 1371(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Exemption for Alaskan Natives.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Authentic alaska native article of handicrafts and
clothing.--The term `authentic Alaska Native article of
handicrafts and clothing' means an item composed wholly, or
in some significant respect, of natural materials and that is
produced, decorated, or fashioned in the exercise of
traditional Alaska Native handicrafts by an Alaska Native who
resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North
Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean without the use of a
pantograph, multiple carvers, or any other mass copying
device.
``(B) Marine mammal ivory.--The term `marine mammal ivory'
includes a tooth or tusk from a walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) or
a species of cetacean.
``(C) Traditional alaska native handicrafts.--The term
`traditional Alaska Native handicrafts' includes weaving,
carving, stitching, sewing, lacing, beading, drawing, and
painting.
``(2) Exemption.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in section 109, the
provisions of this Act shall not apply with respect to the
taking of any marine mammal by any Alaska Native who resides
in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific
Ocean or the Arctic Ocean if such taking--
``(i)(I) is for subsistence purposes; or
``(II) is done for purposes of creating and selling
authentic Alaska Native articles of handicrafts and clothing;
and
``(ii) in each case, is not accomplished in a wasteful
manner.
``(B) Special rules.--
``(i) Interstate commerce of items.--An item presented as
an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and
clothing may be sold in interstate commerce only if it
comports with the definition provided in paragraph (1)(A).
``(ii) Edible portion of marine mammal.--Any edible portion
of a marine mammal taken for the purpose of creating and
selling authentic Alaska Native articles of handicrafts and
clothing may be sold for native consumption or in a native
village or town in Alaska.
``(3) Limitations.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if, under
this Act, the Secretary determines any species or stock of
marine mammal subject to taking by Alaska Natives to be
depleted, the Secretary may prescribe regulations upon the
taking of such marine mammals by any Alaska Native described
in this subsection.
``(B) Content of regulations.--The regulations described in
subparagraph (A) may be established with reference to species
or stocks, geographical area, the season for taking, or any
other factors related to the reason for establishing such
regulations and consistent with the purposes of this Act.
``(C) Notice and hearing; removal of regulations.--The
regulations described in subparagraph (A) shall be prescribed
after notice and hearing required by section 103 of this
title and shall be removed as soon as the Secretary
determines that the need for their imposition has
disappeared.
``(D) Regulations to be supported by substantial
evidence.--In promulgating any regulation or making any
assessment pursuant to a hearing or proceeding under this
subsection or section 117(b)(2), or in making any
determination of depletion under this subsection or finding
regarding unmitigable adverse impacts under subsection (a)(5)
that affects stocks or persons to which this subsection
applies, the Secretary shall demonstrate in writing (and make
such writing publicly available on the website of the
Secretary) that, in consideration of the whole record,
including Indigenous knowledge, such regulation, assessment,
determination, or finding is supported by substantial
evidence.
``(E) Applicability.--The requirement under subparagraph
(D) shall only be applicable in an action brought by one or
more Alaska Native organizations representing persons to
which this subsection applies.
``(4) Prohibitions.--No State shall prohibit the interstate
commerce, importation, sale, offer for sale, transfer, trade,
barter, possession, or possession with the intent to sell,
transfer, trade, or barter of marine mammal ivory or marine
mammal bone or baleen incorporated under this title by an
Alaska Native, into an authentic Alaska Native article of
handicrafts and clothing.
``(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to--
``(A) impact the rights of any Indian Tribe (as defined in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) in effect on the date of
enactment of the Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition
Act; or
``(B) undermine any government-to-government consultation
or engagement.''.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 318) to require a plan to improve the
cybersecurity and telecommunications of the U.S. Academic
Research Fleet, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation with an amendment to strike all after the enacting
clause and insert the part printed in italic, as follows:
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 active 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
fleet through a standard evaluation process.
SEC. 3. PLAN TO IMPROVE CYBERSECURITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
OF U.S. ACADEMIC RESEARCH FLEET.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall, in consultation
with the head of any Federal agency, university, or
laboratory that owns or operates a vessel of the U.S.
Academic Research Fleet, submit to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a plan to improve the cybersecurity and
telecommunications of the U.S. 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 missions of the vessels of such fleet;
(2) in consultation with the Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of
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 scientific missions 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) 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 shall, in preparing the
plan required by subsection (a), consider--
(1) the network capabilities, including speed and bandwidth
targets, necessary to meet the scientific mission needs of
each class of vessels of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet for
such purposes as--
(A) executing the critical functions and communications of
the vessels;
(B) providing network access to conduct medical care via
telemedicine or related crisis response care;
(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; and
(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 the vessel, with
fully remote subject-matter experts advising; and
(2) in consultation with the Director of the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Director of the
National Institute of 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) standards and guidance for information security,
including the use of encryption for
[[Page S7009]]
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.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Hearing no objection, the committee-reported
substitutes are considered and agreed to, the bills, as amended, are
considered read a third time and passed, and the motions to reconsider
are considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.
The committee-reported amendments, in the nature of a substitute,
were agreed to en bloc.
The bill (S. 254), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
The bill (S. 318), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I want to let people know back home that
means that that bill, the ARTIST bill that we have been trying to get
moved for a long time, just passed the U.S. Senate. So I want to thank
my colleague from California, my friend from California who has worked
with me, by the way, on one of the other bills that just passed. I was
a cosponsor with Senator Padilla on that, so this is good Senate
cooperation on these issues.
So that is an important issue for Alaskan Native heritage, culture,
artists, and now it has passed the Senate. So, again, I want to thank
Senator Padilla.
____________________