ANCHOR Act

Sponsor: Vince Fong (Republican-CA)February 12, 2025

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Requires a plan to boost internet and cybersecurity for U.S. research ships.

This bill would require the National Science Foundation to create a detailed plan to improve the internet and cybersecurity on U.S. academic research ships. This plan would assess current needs, estimate costs, and suggest ways to pay for upgrades. The goal is to make sure these ships have better technology for their scientific missions and for the well-being of their crews.

What Would Change

Today, there is no specific federal plan to improve the internet and cybersecurity for U.S. academic research ships. If this bill becomes law, the National Science Foundation would be required to develop a detailed plan within 18 months to assess these needs, estimate costs, and propose funding. Two years after that plan is submitted, a progress report would be sent to Congress.

Key Provisions

Requires the National Science Foundation Director to create a plan for better internet and cybersecurity on U.S. academic research ships within 18 months of the bill becoming law.
Requires the plan to assess the internet and networking needs for these research vessels, considering their scientific missions.
Requires the plan to assess cybersecurity needs, following federal guidelines from agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Requires the plan to estimate all costs for upgrades, including equipment, staff, and the impact on daily ship rental fees.
Requires the plan to include a spending strategy involving federal agencies and non-federal owners to cover upgrade costs.