Arctic Commitment Act
Bill: S.4736 | Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Arctic Commitment Act
This bill expands a variety of Arctic-focused provisions pertaining to national security, shipping, and trade.
For example, the bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee to advise DOT on matters related to Arctic maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development. It also requires the Department of the Navy to ensure that the Port of Nome in Alaska is usable for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Arctic Region and military service strategies for the Arctic.
Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy must jointly submit to Congress a report that outlines the requirements to establish a persistent, year-round presence of the Navy and Coast Guard in the Arctic region, including at the Port of Nome and any other deepwater port that would facilitate such a presence.
The bill also requires the Committee on Maritime Transportation System to submit to Congress a report that describes the control and influence of the Russian Federation on shipping in the Arctic and includes a plan for eliminating or preventing a Russian monopoly on shipping in the region to enable an increased U.S. presence in the Arctic shipping domain.
Further, the bill expresses the sense of Congress that (1) Arctic countries are important partners of the United States, and (2) the United States International Development Finance Corporation should make investments in Arctic countries to facilitate technologies that contribute to energy security and sustainable opportunities for indigenous groups.

To enhance United States standing as an Arctic nation by facilitating 
 greater maritime accessibility, strong trading partners, and reliable 
                            infrastructure.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Arctic Commitment 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Defined term.
Sec. 3. Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee.
Sec. 4. Arctic Executive Steering Committee.
Sec. 5. Implementation of Arctic strategy at Port of Nome.
Sec. 6. Report on establishing persistent presence of Navy or Coast 
                            Guard in the United States Arctic.
Sec. 7. Report on eliminating the Russian monopoly on Arctic shipping.
Sec. 8. Expanding investment by the United States International 
                            Development Finance Corporation in Arctic 
                            countries.
Sec. 9. Partnership with Iceland.
Sec. 10. Amendment to Deepwater Port Act of 1974.
Sec. 11. Amendments to the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984.
Sec. 12. Crosscut report on Arctic research programs.
Sec. 13. Pribilof Island transition completion actions.

SEC. 2. DEFINED TERM.

    In this Act, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
means--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate;
            (3) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
            (4) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate;
            (5) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (6) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (7) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (8) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 3. ARCTIC SHIPPING FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee, as required in section 
8426 of the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020 
(division G of Public Law 116-283).
    (b) Funding.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make available 
to the Arctic Shipping Advisory Committee, from amounts appropriated to 
the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, such funds as may be 
necessary for the operation and sustainment of the Committee.

SEC. 4. ARCTIC EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE.

    The Arctic Executive Steering Committee, which was originally 
established by Executive Order 13689 (80 Fed. Reg. 4191; relating to 
enhancing coordination of national efforts in the Arctic), is 
reauthorized for the 10-year period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION OF ARCTIC STRATEGY AT PORT OF NOME.

    The Secretary of the Navy, in consultation with the Commandant of 
the Coast Guard, shall engage in a consultation with the Chief of 
Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that the Port of 
Nome is usable for the implementation of the National Strategy for the 
Arctic Region and the Arctic strategy of the Department of the Navy, as 
described in the strategic blueprint for the Arctic of the Department 
of the Navy entitled ``A Blue Arctic''.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON ESTABLISHING PERSISTENT PRESENCE OF NAVY OR COAST 
              GUARD IN THE UNITED STATES ARCTIC.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Secretary of the Navy 
shall jointly submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress 
that--
            (1) describes the requirements necessary to establish, and 
        the feasibility of establishing, a persistent, year-round 
        presence of the Navy and the Coast Guard in the Arctic region 
        at--
                    (A) the Port of Nome;
                    (B) the natural deepwater port of Unalaska;
                    (C) the former Coast Guard Station at Port 
                Clarence;
                    (D) Point Spencer (as defined in section 532 of the 
                Pribilof Island Transition Completion Act of 2015 
                (subtitle B of title V of Public Law 114-120));
                    (E) the port on Saint George Island in the Bering 
                Sea;
                    (F) the Port of Adak;
                    (G) Cape Blossom;
                    (H) ports in the Northeastern United States, 
                including Eastport, Searsport, and Portland, Maine; and
                    (I) any other deepwater port that the Commandant 
                determines would facilitate such a presence in the 
                places described in subparagraphs (A) through (H); and
            (2) provides an estimate of the costs of implementing the 
        requirements described in paragraph (1), after taking into 
        account the costs of constructing the onshore infrastructure 
        that will be required to support year-round maritime operations 
        in the vicinity of the Bering Sea and the Arctic region.

SEC. 7. REPORT ON ELIMINATING THE RUSSIAN MONOPOLY ON ARCTIC SHIPPING.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Committee on the Maritime Transportation System, in 
coordination with the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee, shall 
submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress that--
            (1) describes the control and influence of the Russian 
        Federation on shipping in the Arctic region;
            (2) analyzes the effect of such control and influence on 
        ongoing efforts to increase the presence, capacity, and volume 
        of United States shipping in the Arctic region; and
            (3) includes a plan for eliminating the Russian monopoly on 
        shipping in the Arctic region to enable an increase United 
        States presence in the Arctic shipping domain.

SEC. 8. EXPANDING INVESTMENT BY THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL 
              DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION IN ARCTIC COUNTRIES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
                    (C) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
                Senate;
                    (D) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
                of the Senate;
                    (E) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (F) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
                Representatives;
                    (G) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
                of the House of Representatives; and
                    (H) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives.
            (2) Arctic countries.--The term ``Arctic countries''--
                    (A) means the United States, Canada, Denmark, 
                Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, which are 
                permanent members of the Arctic Council; and
                    (B) does not include the Russian Federation.
            (3) Arctic indigenous organizations.--The term ``Arctic 
        indigenous organizations''--
                    (A) means the Aleut International Association, the 
                Arctic Athabaskan Council, the Gwich'in International 
                Council, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, and the Saami 
                Council; and
                    (B) does not include the Russian Association of 
                Indigenous Peoples of the North.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Arctic countries are important partners of the United 
        States; and
            (2) the United States International Development Finance 
        Corporation should make investments in Arctic countries to 
        facilitate technologies that--
                    (A) strengthen energy security and reliability; and
                    (B) provide durable, sustainable opportunities for 
                indigenous entities.
    (c) Authorization.--The United States International Development 
Finance Corporation is authorized to provide financing to entities in 
Arctic countries, including Arctic indigenous organizations, for 
projects that--
            (1) involve the responsible extraction, processing, 
        development, and recycling of critical minerals (as defined in 
        section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a))); 
        or
            (2) the Chief Executive Officer of the United States 
        International Development Finance Corporation, in coordination 
        with the Secretary of State, determine to be in the strategic 
        interest of the United States.
    (d) Reporting Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the 
        United States International Development Finance Corporation, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of State, shall submit a report 
        to the appropriate congressional committees that--
                    (A) identifies the countries in which financing by 
                the United States International Development Finance 
                Corporation could be most impactful for responsibly 
                producing critical minerals needed for energy security;
                    (B) explains the interests of the United States and 
                of partner countries that are served when the United 
                States provides support for such projects;
                    (C) describes any support provided by other United 
                States allies and partners to expand the projects 
                described in subsection (c); and
                    (D) describes any support provided by the People's 
                Republic of China in support of the projects described 
                in subsection (c).
            (2) Form of report.--The report required under paragraph 
        (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
        classified annex, if necessary.

SEC. 9. PARTNERSHIP WITH ICELAND.

    (a) Sense of Congress Regarding a Free Trade Agreement With 
Iceland.--It is the sense of Congress that the United States should 
enter into negotiations with the Government of Iceland to develop and 
enter into a comprehensive free trade agreement between the United 
States and Iceland.
    (b) Nonimmigrant Traders and Investors.--For purposes of clauses 
(i) and (ii) of section 101(a)(15)(E) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(E)), Iceland shall be considered 
to be a foreign State under such section if the Government of Iceland 
offers similar nonimmigrant status to nationals of the United States.

SEC. 10. AMENDMENTS TO DEEPWATER PORT ACT OF 1974.

    The Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) in section 4 (33 U.S.C. 1503)--
                    (A) in subsection (c)(9), by inserting ``(excluding 
                any State that developed a coastal zone management 
                program pursuant to section 305 of the Coastal Zone 
                Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1454) that was 
                approved by the Secretary pursuant to section 306 of 
                such Act (16 U.S.C. 1455) and withdrew such plan before 
                January 1, 2012)'' after ``connected by pipeline''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) Export License for All Forms of Hydrogen.--The Secretary may 
issue a license in accordance with the provisions of this Act for the 
export of hydrogen in all of its forms, including as liquefied natural 
gas, hydrogen, and ammonia.''; and
            (2) in section 9(c), (33 U.S.C. 1508(c)), by inserting 
        ``(excluding any State that developed a coastal zone management 
        program pursuant to section 305 of the Coastal Zone Management 
        Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1454) that was approved by the Secretary 
        pursuant to section 306 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1455) and 
        withdrew such plan before January 1, 2012)'' after ``connected 
        by pipeline''.

SEC. 11. AMENDMENTS TO THE ARCTIC RESEARCH AND POLICY ACT OF 1984.

    (a) Findings and Purposes.--Section 102(a) of the Arctic Research 
and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4101(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and homeland'' after 
        ``national'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (17) as 
        paragraphs (6) through (18), respectively;
            (3) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) Changing Arctic conditions directly affect global 
        weather and climate patterns and must be better understood--
                    ``(A) to promote better agricultural management 
                throughout the United States; and
                    ``(B) to address the myriad of impacts, challenges, 
                and opportunities brought about by such change.
            ``(5) Since a rapidly changing climate will reshape the 
        economic, social, cultural, political, environmental, and 
        security landscape of the Arctic region, sustained, robust, 
        coordinated, reliable, appropriately funded, and dependable 
        Arctic research is required to inform and influence sound 
        United States domestic and international Arctic policy.''; and
            (4) in paragraph (6), as redesignated, by inserting ``and 
        climate'' after ``weather''.
    (b) Arctic Research Commission.--Section 103 of the Arctic Research 
and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4102) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(B)--
                            (i) by striking ``who are'' and inserting 
                        ``who is a''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``who live in areas'' and 
                        inserting ``who live in an area''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``chairperson'' 
                and inserting ``Chair''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``or her'' after ``his''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, or in the case of the 
                        Chair, not to exceed 120 days of service each 
                        year''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Chairman'' and 
                inserting ``Chair''.
    (c) Administration of the Commission.--Section 106(4) of the Arctic 
Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4105(4)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``, and other Federal Government entities, 
        as appropriate,'' after ``with the General Services 
        Administration''; and
            (2) by inserting ``, or the heads of other Federal 
        Government entities, as appropriate,'' before the semicolon.
    (d) Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee.--Section 
107(b)(2) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 
4106(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as subparagraph (P);
            (2) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the following:
                    ``(L) the Department of Agriculture;
                    ``(M) the Marine Mammal Commission;
                    ``(N) the Smithsonian Institution;
                    ``(O) the Denali Commission; and''.
    (e) 5-Year Arctic Research Plan.--Section 109(a) of the Arctic 
Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4108(a)) is amended by 
striking ``The Plan'' and inserting ``Notwithstanding section 3003 of 
the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-
66), the Plan''.

SEC. 12. CROSSCUT REPORT ON ARCTIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget shall submit a detailed report to 
Congress regarding all existing Federal programs relating to Arctic 
research, including--
            (1) the goals of each such program;
            (2) the funding levels for each such program for each of 
        the 5 immediately preceding fiscal years;
            (3) the anticipated funding levels for each such program 
        for each of the 5 following fiscal years; and
            (4) the total funding appropriated for the current fiscal 
        year for such programs.
    (b) Distribution.--Not later than 3 days after submitting the 
report to Congress pursuant to subsection (a), the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget shall submit a copy of the report to 
the National Science Foundation, the United States Arctic Research 
Commission, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

SEC. 13. PRIBILOF ISLAND TRANSITION COMPLETION ACTIONS.

    (a) Extensions.--Section 524 of the Pribilof Island Transition 
Completion Act of 2015 (subtitle B of title V of Public Law 114-120) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(5), by striking ``5 years'' and 
        inserting ``6 years''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(3), by striking ``60 days'' and 
        inserting ``120 days''.
    (b) Quarterly Actual Use and Occupancy Reports.--Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 3 months 
thereafter, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that describes--
            (1) the degree to which Coast Guard personnel and equipment 
        are deployed to St. Paul Island, Alaska, in actual occupancy of 
        the facilities, as required under section 524 of the Pribilof 
        Island Transition Completion Act of 2015 (subtitle B of title V 
        of Public Law 114-120); and
            (2) the status of the activities described in subsections 
        (c) and (d) if such activities have not been completed.
    (c) Aircraft Hanger.--The Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating may--
            (1) enter into a lease for a hangar to house deployed Coast 
        Guard aircraft if such hanger was previously under lease by the 
        Coast Guard for the purposes of housing such aircraft;
            (2) enter into an agreement with the lessor of the hanger 
        referred to in paragraph (1) in which the Secretary may carry 
        out repairs necessary to support the deployment of such 
        aircraft; and
            (3) offset the cost such repairs under the terms of the 
        lease entered into pursuant to paragraph (2).
    (d) Fuel Tank.--
            (1) Determination.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department 
        in which the Coast Guard is operating shall determine whether 
        the fuel tank located on St. Paul Island, Alaska, that is owned 
        by the Coast Guard is needed for Coast Guard operations.
            (2) Transfer.--Subject to paragraph (3), if the Secretary 
        determines the tank referred to in paragraph (1) is not needed 
        for Coast Guard operations, the Secretary, not later than 90 
        days after making such determination, shall transfer such tank 
        to the Alaska Native Village Corporation for St. Paul Island, 
        Alaska.
            (3) Fair market value exception.--The Secretary may only 
        carry out a transfer described in paragraph (2) if the fair 
        market value of such tank is less than the aggregate value of 
        any lease payments for the property on which the tank is 
        located that the Coast Guard would have paid to the Alaska 
        Native Village Corporation for St. Paul Island, Alaska, had 
        such lease been extended at the same rate.
    (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to limit any rights of the Alaska Native Village Corporation for St. 
Paul Island, Alaska to receive conveyance of all or part of the lands 
and improvements related to Tract 43 under the same terms and 
conditions as prescribed in section 524 of the Pribilof Island 
Transition Completion Act of 2015 (subtitle B of title V of Public Law 
114-120).
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