Protect United States Security in the Arctic Act of 2017

Summary: Protect United States Security in the Arctic Act of 2017 This bill instructs the President to submit to Congress a strategy to protect U.S. interests in the Arctic region.  Such strategy shall include goals to:  improve telecommunications, navigation, ocean and coastal mapping, and Coast Guard and other infrastructure to support a sustained security and emergency response presence for Alaska; direct the U.S. representative to the Arctic Council to use the voice and vote of the United States to conduct increased confidence-building and cooperative security measures with other member countries; support climate resilience efforts across the Arctic region; and  sustain robust research funding to understand the ongoing climate changes in the Arctic region and their global impact.   The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall submit a report that assesses the cost and procurement schedule for new U.S. icebreakers.  Consistent with the recapitalization plan for the acquisition of heavy and medium icebreakers to meet Coast Guard statutory missions in the polar regions, the department in which the Coast Guard is operating: (1) may enter into a contract to procure up to three Coast Guard heavy icebreakers for the defense of U.S. interests in the Arctic region, beginning In FY2018; and (2) shall report on its plans to procure and sustain icebreakers in addition to the vessels authorized to be procured under such contract and to ensure that at least three Coast Guard icebreakers are ready for operations at all times. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protect United States Security in 
the Arctic Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has important economic, security, and 
        national defense interests in the Arctic region.
            (2) The United States Government has issued several key 
        reports and strategies on the Arctic region over the last four 
        years, including--
                    (A) the Department of Defense Report to Congress on 
                Strategy to Protect United States National Security 
                Interests in the Arctic Region (December 2016);
                    (B) the 2015 Year In Review: Progress Report on the 
                Implementation of the National Strategy for the Arctic 
                Region (March 2016);
                    (C) the Implementation Plan for the National 
                Strategy for the Arctic Region (January 30, 2014); and
                    (D) the National Strategy for the Arctic Region 
                (May 2013), which set forth the United States 
                Government's strategic priorities for the Arctic 
                region.
            (3) According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the 
        Arctic region is warming at double the rate of the rest of the 
        world, opening new routes for ships and development of natural 
        resources throughout the Arctic region.
            (4) The rapidly warming Arctic region threatens fisheries 
        and wildlife habitat, existing infrastructure and communities 
        throughout Alaska, including increased vulnerability to coastal 
        erosion. Alaska native communities are particularly vulnerable 
        to the changing climate.
            (5) Given these developments, the United States needs to 
        bolster its infrastructure and assets in the Arctic region to 
        safeguard its strategic interests, defend its national borders, 
        protect the environment, and maintain its scientific and 
        technological leadership.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the President should continue to convene the Arctic 
        Executive Steering Committee established on January 21, 2015, 
        pursuant to Executive Order 13689 (80 Fed. Reg. 6425; relating 
        to enhancing coordination of national efforts in the Arctic); 
        and
            (2) the United States should ratify the United Nations 
        Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to allow the United 
        States to secure its claim to offshore resources present along 
        the Arctic's extended continental shelf.

SEC. 4. STRATEGY TO PROTECT UNITED STATES INTERESTS IN THE ARCTIC 
              REGION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President shall develop and submit to 
Congress a strategy to protect United States interests in the Arctic 
region.
    (b) Goals.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall 
include the following goals:
            (1) Improve telecommunications, navigation, ocean and 
        coastal mapping, and Coast Guard and other infrastructure to 
        support a sustained security and emergency response presence 
        for the State of Alaska.
            (2) Direct the United States representative to the Arctic 
        Council to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
        conduct increased confidence-building and cooperative security 
        measures with the other member countries of the Arctic Council.
            (3) Support climate resilience efforts across the Arctic 
        region.
            (4) Sustain robust research funding to understand the 
        ongoing climate changes in the Arctic region and the global 
        impact of such changes.
    (c) Use of Prior Reports and Strategies.--The strategy required 
under subsection (a) shall be informed by the reports and strategies 
described in section 2(2) and other relevant United States Government 
reports and strategies regarding the Arctic region.
    (d) Comptroller General of the United States Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the date of 
        the enactment of the this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
        United States shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
        of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Committee 
        on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report assessing the cost and procurement 
        schedule for new United States icebreakers.
            (2) Elements.--The report required in paragraph (1) shall 
        include an analysis of the following:
                    (A) The current status of the efforts of the Coast 
                Guard to acquire new icebreaking capability, including 
                coordination through the Integrated Program Office.
                    (B) Actions being taken by the Coast Guard to 
                incorporate key practices from other nations that 
                procure icebreakers to increase knowledge and reduce 
                costs and risks.
                    (C) The extent by which the cost and schedule for 
                building Coast Guard icebreakers differs from those in 
                other countries, if known.
                    (D) The extent that innovative acquisition 
                practices (such as multiyear funding and block buys) 
                may be applied to icebreaker acquisition to reduce the 
                cost and accelerate the schedule.
                    (E) A capacity replacement plan to mitigate a 
                potential icebreaker capability gap if the Polar Star 
                cannot remain in service.
                    (F) Any other matters the Comptroller General 
                considers appropriate.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION TO PROCURE COAST GUARD ICEBREAKERS.

    (a) Authorization.--Consistent with the plan required by section 
3523 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114-328), the Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating may enter into a contract to procure up to 
three Coast Guard heavy icebreakers to defend United States interests 
in the Arctic Region, beginning in fiscal year 2018.
    (b) Liability Subject to Appropriations.--Any contract entered into 
under subsection (a) shall provide that--
            (1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment 
        under the contract is subject to the availability of 
        appropriations for that purpose; and
            (2) the total liability to the Government for termination 
        of such contract shall be limited to the total amount of 
        funding obligated under such contract at the time of 
        termination.
    (c) Report.--Consistent with such section, the Secretary shall 
report to the relevant congressional committees on plans of such 
department to--
            (1) procure and sustain icebreakers in addition to the 
        vessels authorized by subsection (a); and
            (2) ensure that at least three Coast Guard icebreakers are 
        operational at all times.