Arctic Focus Act
Bill: S.3272 | Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan (R-AK)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Arctic Focus Act
This bill directs the Coast Guard to undertake various efforts to maintain a persistent presence in the Arctic to advance the national security interests of the United States.
The Coast Guard must
The department in which the Coast Guard is operating must submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the ability and time line to conduct a transit of the Northern Sea Route and periodic transits of the Northwest Passage, and that includes a plan to implement the activities set forth in this bill.

To prioritize icebreaker deployments to the Arctic, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Arctic Focus Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (D) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
                    (E) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Arctic.--The term ``Arctic'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 
        1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111).

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY REGARDING ARCTIC ACTIVITIES.

    In recognition of the Arctic's strategic importance to the national 
security interests of the United States, and the need to exert 
influence through persistent presence in the Arctic, the Coast Guard 
shall--
            (1) prioritize icebreaker deployments to the Arctic so that 
        Antarctic deployments do not occur at the expense of sufficient 
        Arctic presence or operations;
            (2) provide sufficient icebreaking activity to keep the 
        Northwest Passage sea lanes open for commerce, national 
        defense, rescue and recovery operations, and scientific 
        exploration by 2030;
            (3) permanently station at least 1 icebreaking vessel 
        within the Arctic not later than the earlier of--
                    (A) the date that is 1 year after the delivery of 
                the first Polar Security Cutter; or
                    (B) 2030; and
            (4) continuously patrol the Arctic with at least 1 major 
        Coast Guard cutter that is able to execute search and rescue 
        operations, fisheries enforcement, pollution response, and 
        support for national defense operations.

SEC. 4. ARCTIC OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating 
shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
that--
            (1) describes the ability and timeline to conduct a transit 
        of the Northern Sea Route and periodic transits of the 
        Northwest Passage; and
            (2) includes a plan to implement the activities described 
        in section 3.
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