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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1229 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1229

    To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to 
   establish a United States Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 16, 2011

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to 
   establish a United States Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Ambassador at Large 
for Arctic Affairs Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR ARCTIC AFFAIRS.

    Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 
U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 63. UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR ARCTIC AFFAIRS.

    ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            ``(1) the United States is an Arctic nation with--
                    ``(A) an approximately 700-mile border on the 
                Arctic Ocean;
                    ``(B) more than 100,000,000 acres of land above the 
                Arctic Circle; and
                    ``(C) an even broader area defined as Arctic by 
                temperature that includes the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
                Islands;
            ``(2) the Arctic region of the United States--
                    ``(A) is known to the indigenous population as 
                Inuvikput, or the `place where we live';
                    ``(B) is home to an indigenous population that has 
                subsisted for millennia on the abundance of marine 
                mammals, fish, and wildlife, many species of which are 
                unique to the Arctic region;
                    ``(C) has produced more than 16,000,000,000 barrels 
                of oil, and, according to the United States Geological 
                Service, holds 30,000,000,000 barrels of oil and 220 
                trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making the region 
                fundamentally important to the interest of the United 
                States;
            ``(3) since 1959, temperatures in the Arctic region of the 
        United States have warmed by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, a rate of 
        increase more than twice the global average;
            ``(4) the Arctic ice pack is rapidly diminishing and 
        thinning, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration estimates the Arctic Ocean may be ice free 
        during the summer months in as few as 30 years;
            ``(5) these changes are having a significant impact on the 
        communities and ecosystems of the indigenous people of the 
        Arctic, and the marine mammals, fish, and wildlife upon which 
        the indigenous population depends;
            ``(6) these changes are opening new portions of the Arctic 
        continental shelf of the United States to possible development 
        for offshore oil and gas, commercial fishing, marine shipping, 
        and tourism;
            ``(7) increased industrial development and commercial 
        activity in the Arctic region requires a heightened diplomatic 
        presence to address important issues that involve the United 
        States and Pan-Arctic countries or the Arctic Council;
            ``(8) the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum 
        established in 1996, includes representatives from Canada, 
        Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, 
        Sweden, and the United States and 6 Permanent Participants who 
        represent the indigenous peoples of the Arctic;
            ``(9) the Arctic Council--
                    ``(A) is committed to the well-being of the people 
                who live in the Arctic region;
                    ``(B) recognizes the special relationship 
                indigenous people have with the Arctic region;
                    ``(C) acknowledges the unique contributions 
                indigenous communities make to the Arctic region;
                    ``(D) is committed to sustainable economic and 
                social development in the Arctic region, improving 
                health conditions in the Arctic region, and fostering 
                cultural well-being in the Arctic region; and
                    ``(E) is committed to protecting the Arctic 
                environment, including Arctic ecosystems, biodiversity 
                in the Arctic region, and the conservation and 
                sustainable use of Arctic natural resources;
            ``(10) other Arctic countries are pursuing claims for 
        Arctic seabed resources under the United Nations Convention on 
        the Law of the Sea, signed at Montego Bay, Jamaica, December 
        10, 1982;
            ``(11) the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
        recommends closing commercial fishing operations in the Arctic 
        waters of the United States until sustainable fishing is 
        scientifically determined, an action that will only be 
        effective with cooperation from neighboring Arctic countries;
            ``(12) increased commercial activity in the Arctic region 
        raises concerns regarding national security, environmental 
        protection, and the cultural and subsistence needs of 
        indigenous communities;
            ``(13) the United States seeks to maintain, and further 
        develop, a constructive and cordial relationship with the 
        members of the Arctic Council; and
            ``(14) the United States has not established an Ambassador 
        at Large for Arctic Affairs, who would enhance the ability of 
        the United States to respond quickly and appropriately to 
        issues of mutual interest to the Arctic Council and Arctic 
        countries generally.
    ``(b) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of 
State an Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs (referred to in this 
section as the `Ambassador'), appointed under subsection (c).
    ``(c) Appointment.--The Ambassador shall be appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
    ``(d) Duties.--
            ``(1) Diplomatic representation.--Subject to the direction 
        of the President and the Secretary of State, the Ambassador is 
        authorized to represent the United States in matters and cases 
        relevant to Arctic affairs in--
                    ``(A) contacts with foreign governments, 
                intergovernmental organizations, and specialized 
                agencies of the United Nations, the Arctic Council, and 
                other international organizations of which the United 
                States is a member; and
                    ``(B) multilateral conferences and meetings 
                relating to Arctic affairs.
            ``(2) Advisory role.--The Ambassador shall be a principal 
        adviser to the President and the Secretary of State regarding 
        matters affecting Arctic affairs and shall make recommendations 
        regarding the policies of the United States relating to Arctic 
        affairs.
    ``(e) Funding.--The Secretary of State shall provide the Ambassador 
with such funds as may be necessary to carry out the duties described 
in subsection (d).''.
                                 <all>
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