Politiparty
Politiparty

119th Congress Science, Technology, Communications

S. 318: ANCHOR Act

Passed SenateOct 8, 2025

  1. Passed Senate (completed)Oct 8, 2025
  2. Passed House (not reached)
  3. To the President (not reached)
  4. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in Senate, Jan 29, 2025

This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications capabilities of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF).

ARF is comprised of U.S.-flagged vessels that provide at-sea laboratories where oceanographic scientists, educators, and students research and learn about marine science.

The bill requires the plan to include assessments of

Read the full summary
  • telecommunications and networking needs of ARF, consistent with typical scientific missions;
  • cybersecurity needs appropriate for the ownership of ARF vessels and their typical research functions;
  • the costs necessary to meet these needs; and
  • the time required to implement necessary upgrades.

The plan must also include (1) a spending plan for the NSF, the Office of Naval Research, nonfederal owners of ARF vessels, and users of the vessels to cover identified costs; and (2) a proposal regarding the adoption of common solutions or consortial licensing agreements, or the centralization of cybersecurity, telecommunications, or data management at a single facility.

Among other factors specified in the bill, the NSF must consider the network capabilities necessary to meet mission needs (e.g., to upload data to shoreside servers), international standards and guidance for information security, and requirements for controlled unclassified or classified information.

The plan must be provided to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

1

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

60 points earned
  1. 1Alejandro Padilla D-CA SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced, reported, passed Senate4 events+56
  2. 2Dan Sullivan R-AKCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Alejandro Padilla

History

  1. Oct 8, 2025Passed the Senate with an amendment by unanimous consent.
  2. Jan 29, 2025Introduced in the Senate by Alejandro Padilla.
Show the full action history (10 actions)
  1. Oct 10, 2025Received in the House.
  2. Oct 10, 2025Held at the desk.
  3. Oct 8, 2025Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  4. Oct 8, 2025Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7007-7009; text: CR S7008-7009)
  5. Oct 8, 2025Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  6. Sep 29, 2025Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-64.
  7. Sep 29, 2025Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 169.
  8. May 21, 2025Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  9. Jan 29, 2025Introduced in Senate
  10. Jan 29, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.