Back in February Rep Fong (R,CA) introduced HR 1223, the Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research (ANCHOR) Act. The bill would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to submit a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications of the Academic Research Fleet. No new funding is authorized by the legislation.
The bill is similar to HR 7630, the Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research (ANCHOR) Act, that was introduced by Rep Garcia (R,CA) in March, 2024. The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a markup hearing on March 20th, 2024 and ordered the bill reported favorably by a vote of 38 to 0. The Committee Report was published on May 23rd, 2024. The bill was taken up by the full House on September 23rd, 2024 under the suspension of the rules process and passed by a voice vote. No action was taken in the Senate on this bill, nor on a similar bill (S 3943, the ANCHOR Act) introduced by Sen Padilla (D,CA) in March of 2024. Padilla has introduced a similar bill (S 318) this session.
The main difference between the two bills (using the version passed in the House for comparison) is that HR 1223 has been re-written with all of the provisions of the earlier bill reformatted into a single §2. There have also been some wording changes, but they would have no significant impact on the requirements of legislation.
Definitions
Subsection 2(e) of the bill provides the definitions of three key terms used in the bill. It does not include any technical terms related to cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity Plan
Subsection 2(b) establishes the requirement for NSF to submit to Congress a “a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications of the Academic Research Fleet.” The plan would include:
An assessment of the telecommunications and networking needs of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet,
An assessment of cybersecurity needs appropriate for the typical research functions and topics of such vessels,
An assessment of the costs necessary to meet those needs,
An assessment of the time required to implement any upgrades required to meet those needs,
A proposal for the adoption of common solutions or consortial licensing agreements, and
A spending plan to provide funding to cover the costs described above.
In preparing the plan, the NSF would consider the network capabilities, including speed and bandwidth targets, necessary to meet the scientific mission needs of each class of vessel within the Fleet for such purposes as:
Executing the critical functions and communications of each vessel,
Providing network access for the health and well-being of deployed personnel,
Uploading any scientific data to a cloud-based server or shoreside server,
Conducting real-time streaming to enable shore-based observers to participate in ship-based maintenance or research activities,
Real-time coordinated viewing of scientific instrumentation so that it is possible to conduct scientific surveys and seafloor mapping with fully remote subject matter experts,
Real-time coordinated viewing of 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, and
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.
In consultation with CISA and NIST, the plan’s cybersecurity considerations would address:
The cybersecurity recommendations in the report on “Cybersecurity at NSF Major Facilities” (JSR–21–10E),
Alignment with international standards and guidance for information security,
Facilitation of access to cybersecurity personnel and training of research and support personnel, and
The requirements for the protection of controlled unclassified or classified information.
Moving Forward
Fong and all three of his cosponsors {Rep Stevens (D,MI), Rep Obernolte (D,CA), and Rep McBride (D,DE)} are members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there may be sufficient influence to see this bill considered in Committee. While last session, the earlier bill moved through the Committee and the floor of the House with no significant opposition, the focus of the 119th Congress is somewhat different than that of the 118th. I suspect that if HR 1223 were considered it would still receive strong bipartisan support, the question remains whether the leadership would remain as supportive in the new legislative environment.