Congressman Fong's ANCHOR Act Passes the Science, Space, and Technology Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Vince Fong’s (CA-20) bill, H.R. 1223, the Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act, also known as the ANCHOR Act, was passed out of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee by a unanimous voice vote.

The ANCHOR Act addresses a critical and urgent need to protect the integrity of our nation's Academic Research Fleet and ensure the valuable data collected at sea remains secure from emerging threats. Specifically, the bill would safeguard these mobile laboratories by requiring the National Science Foundation to develop a plan for the U.S. Academic Research Fleet’s cyberinfrastructure and communications systems to meet today’s research and security demands.

Since the 1960s, the Academic Research Fleet have supported federally sponsored missions that impact everything from human health and energy development to ocean hazards and national security. However, these ships face modern challenges and lack the secure cyberinfrastructure needed to protect sensitive data and communicate reliably across global networks, which leaves them vulnerable to cyber threats from foreign adversaries.

“Our nation invests significantly in this work,” said Congressman Fong. “We want to ensure this data is protected, that our researchers have the tools they need, and that the outcomes of their work remain in secure hands.”

You can watch Congressman Fong’s full remarks in support of the ANCHOR Acthere.

At yesterday’s full committee markup of six bipartisan bills, Chairman Brian Babin underscored the vital role the ANCHOR Act will play in keeping the United States at the forefront of scientific and technological advancement, ensuring continued leadership in a rapidly evolving world.

“I want to thank Representatives Fong and Stevens for their work in bringing this legislation forward to address key gaps in the fleet’s cybersecurity posture," Chairman Babin said.

Background:

The ANCHOR Act was introduced by Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) and co-led by Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11). This bill directs the National Science Foundation to create a comprehensive plan to upgrade the cybersecurity and communications systems on the U.S. Academic Research Fleet to include enhanced network capabilities, video communication for education and outreach, and secure access for researchers working remotely. Congressman Fong services as a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.