Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act
Floor Speech
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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.
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