,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #addb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bf1     
#bjag ,mr4 ,sullivan introduced the     
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to establish ,united      
,states policy for the ,arctic region   
for the next #aj years1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title  ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,securing ,our      
,arctic ,interests ,act of #bjag4  #b4  
,authorization to procure up to six     
polar-class icebreakers  7a7 ,findings  
,congress makes the following findings3 
7#a7 ,the strategic importance of the   
,arctic continues to increase as the    
,united ,states and other countries     
recognize the military significance of  
the sea lanes and choke points within   
the region and understand the potential 
for power projection from the ,arctic   
into multiple regions4  7#b7 ,the       
economic significance of the ,arctic    

continues to grow as nations around the 
globe begin to understand the potential 
for maritime transportation through1 and
 economic and trade development in1 the 
region4  7#c7 ,given the potential for  
maritime accidents1 oil spills1 and     
illegal fishing near the exclusive      
economic zone of the ,united ,states1   
increases in human1 maritime1 and       
resource development activity in the    
,arctic region are expected to create   
additional mission requirements for the 
,department of ,defense and the         
,department of ,homeland ,security4     
7#d7 ,the ,bering ,strait is            
experiencing significant increases in   
international traffic from vessels      
transiting the ,northern ,sea ,route1   
increases which are projected to        
continue if decreases in sea ice        
coverage continue4  7#e7 ,russia has    
prioritized the development of ,arctic  
capabilities and has made significant   
investments in military infrastructure  
in the ,arctic1 including the creation  

of a new ,arctic ,command and the       
construction or refurbishment of #af    
deepwater ports and #ad airfields in the
 region4  7#f7 ,russia currently has    
approximately #dj icebreakers1 including
 several nuclear-powered icebreakers1 is
 currently constructing four1 and is    
planing to build an additional eight4   
7#g7 ,on ,may #ae1 #bjae1 former        
,secretary of ,defense ,ash ,carter     
stated that the ,arctic is going to be a
 major area of importance to the ,united
 ,states1 both strategically and        
economically in the future--it's fair to
 say that we're late to the recognition 
of that4  7#h7 ,on ,july #f1 #bjae1     
,admiral ,paul ,f4 ,zukunft1 the        
,commandant of the ,united ,states      
,coast ,guard1 stated with respect to   
,united ,states strategic presence and  
supporting infrastructure of the ,united
 ,states in the ,arctic that we're not  
even in the same league as ,russia right
 now4 ,we're not playing in this game at
 all4  7#i7 ,on ,january #ab1 #bjag1    

,secretary of ,defense ,james ,mattis   
stated that the ,arctic is key strategic
 terrain ''' ,russia is taking          
aggressive steps to increase its        
presence there ''' ,i will prioritize   
the development of an integrated        
strategy for the ,arctic4 ,i believe    
that our interests and the security of  
the ,arctic would benefit from          
increasing the focus of the ,department 
of ,defense on this region4  7#aj7      
,section #ajfh of the ,national ,defense
 ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year  
#bjaf 7,public ,law #aad-ib7 requires a 
new ,department of ,defense ,strategy to
 ,protect the ,united ,states ,national 
,security ,interests in the ,arctic     
,region4  7#aa7 ,section #ajie of the   
,national ,defense ,authorization ,act  
for ,fiscal ,year #bjag 7,public ,law   
#aad-cbh7 requires the ,department of   
,defense to designate a ,department of  
,defense ,strategic ,arctic ,port4      
7#ab7 ,in ,january #bjag1 the           
,department of ,defense released a      

report entitled ,report to ,congress on 
,strategy to ,protect ,united ,states   
,national ,security ,interests in the   
,arctic ,region to update the ways and  
means the ,department of ,defense       
intends to use to achieve its objectives
 as it implements the #bjac ,national   
,strategy for the ,arctic ,region1      
including--  7,a7 enhancing the         
capability of ,united ,states forces to 
defend the homeland and exercise        
sovereignty2  7,b7 strengthening        
deterrence at home and abroad2  7,c7    
strengthening alliances and             
partnerships2  7,d7 preserving freedom  
of the seas in the ,arctic2  7,e7       
engaging public1 private1 and           
international partners to improve domain
 awareness in the ,arctic2  7,f7        
evolving the infrastructure and         
capabilities of the ,department in the  
,arctic consistent with changing        
conditions and needs2  7,g7 providing   
support to civil authorities1 as        
directed2  7,h7 partnering with other   

departments and agencies of ,government1
 and other nations1 to support human and
 environmental security2 and  7,i7      
supporting international institutions   
that promote regional cooperation and   
the rule of law4  7#ac7 ,in ,june #bjad1
 the ,government ,accountability ,office
 7,,gao7 reported that the ,coast ,guard
 was experiencing a gap in its heavy    
icebreaking capability and was without a
 heavy icebreaker from #bjaj to #bjac4  
7#ad7 ,since #bjac1 the ,united ,states 
,coast ,guard has operated just one     
heavy icebreaker--the ,polar ,star--and 
one medium icebreaker--the ,healy--which
 is less capability and capacity than   
the ,united ,states ,coast ,guard has   
historically had in its fleet4  7#ae7   
,the only other heavy icebreaker of the 
,united ,states ,coast ,guard--the      
,polar ,sea--has been inactive since    
experiencing major engine damage in     
,june #bjaj4  7#af7 ,in ,june #bjaf1 the
 ,government ,accountability ,office    
reported on the status of the ,arctic   

strategy of the ,united ,states ,coast  
,guard and how it had been unable to    
fulfill a portion of its polar          
icebreaking responsibilities due to its 
aging icebreaker fleet4  7#ag7 ,senior  
,coast ,guard1 ,department of ,homeland 
,security1 and ,office of ,management   
and ,budget officials have acknowledged 
that1 at historical funding levels1 the 
,coast ,guard cannot afford to          
recapitalize and modernize its assets in
 accordance with the current plan4      
7#ah7 ,in ,july #bjaj1 the ,coast ,guard
 first identified a need for a new      
icebreaker fleet of #c heavy cutters and
 #c medium cutters to fulfill its       
statutory missions4  7#ai7 ,preliminary 
estimates for the acquisition cost for  
detailed development and construction of
 the first new heavy icebreaker for the 
,united ,states have been as high as    
#a1jjj1jjj1jjj4  7#bj7 ,the ,coast      
,guard is currently partnering with the 
,navy1 through an ,integrated ,program  
,office1 in an attempt to leverage the  

shipbuilding expertise of the ,navy4    
7b7 ,authority ,to procure icebreakers  
,the ,secretary of the department in    
which the ,coast ,guard is operating    
may1 in consultation with the ,secretary
 of the ,navy1 enter into a contract or 
contracts for the procurement of up to  
six polar-class icebreakers1 including--
  7#a7 polar-class heavy icebreakers2   
and  7#b7 polar-class medium            
icebreakers4  7c7 ,comptroller ,general 
of the ,united ,states report  7#a7 ,in 
general ,not later than #de days after  
the date of the enactment of the this   
,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the  
,united ,states shall submit to the     
,committees on ,armed ,services of the  
,senate and the ,house of               
,representatives1 the ,committee on     
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
 of the ,senate1 and the ,committee on  
,transportation and ,infrastructure of  
the ,house of ,representatives a report 
assessing the cost and procurement      
schedule for new ,united ,states        

icebreakers4  7#b7 ,elements ,the report
 required in paragraph 7#a7 shall       
include an analysis of the following3   
7,a7 ,the current status of the efforts 
of the ,coast ,guard to acquire new     
icebreaking capability1 including       
coordination through the ,integrated    
,program ,office4  7,b7 ,actions being  
taken by the ,coast ,guard to           
incorporate key practices from other    
nations that procure icebreakers to     
increase knowledge and reduce costs and 
risks4  7,c7 ,the extent by which the   
cost and schedule for building ,coast   
,guard icebreakers differs from those in
 other countries1 if known4  7,d7 ,the  
extent that innovative acquisition      
practices 7such as multiyear funding and
 block buys7 may be applied to          
icebreaker acquisition to reduce the    
cost and accelerate the schedule4  7,e7 
,a capacity replacement plan to mitigate
 a potential icebreaker capability gap  
if the ,polar ,star cannot remain in    
service4  7,f7 ,any other matters the   

,comptroller ,general considers         
appropriate4  #c4 ,department of        
,defense review of ,navy capabilities in
 the ,arctic region  7a7 ,findings      
,congress makes the following findings3 
7#a7 ,in recent years1 the retreat of   
polar sea ice in the ,arctic1 combined  
with an expected increase in human      
activity in the region1 has heightened  
the interests of the ,united ,states and
 other nations in the ,arctic region4   
7#b7 ,diminishing sea ice has made some 
,arctic waters navigable for longer     
periods and1 as a result1 may contribute
 to new economic opportunities in       
commercial shipping1 resource           
extraction1 tourism1 and commercial     
fishing4  7#c7 ,arctic ,region ,policy1 
as outlined in ,national ,security      
,presidential ,directive-#ff and        
,homeland ,security ,presidential       
,directive-#be1 states that the ,united 
,states has broad and fundamental       
national security interests in the      
,arctic region1 including such matters  

as ''' deployment of sea and air systems
 for strategic sealift1 strategic       
deterrence1 maritime presence1 and      
maritime security operations2 and       
ensuring freedom of navigation and      
overflight4  7#d7 ,the ,january #bjag   
report of the ,department of ,defense   
entitled ,report to ,congress on        
,strategy to ,protect ,united ,states   
,national ,security ,interests in the   
,arctic ,region states that in support  
of the ,u4,s4 national security interest
 in preserving all of the rights1       
freedoms1 and uses of the sea and       
airspace recognized under international 
law1 ,do,d will preserve the global     
mobility of ,u4,s4 military and civilian
 vessels and aircraft throughout the    
,arctic1 as in other regions4 ,this     
includes conducting ,freedom of         
,navigation operations to challenge     
excessive maritime claims when and where
 necessary4  7#e7 ,in regard to the     
ability of the ,united ,states ,navy to 
conduct ,freedom of ,navigation         

,operations 7,f,o,n,o,ps7 in the ,arctic
 region1 on ,june #ae1 #bjag1 ,admiral  
,john ,richardson1 ,chief of ,naval     
,operations1 stated that it's absolutely
 true that we don't have the capacity or
 the capability4  7b7 ,reports  7#a7 ,in
 general ,not later than #ahj days after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1
 the ,secretary of the ,navy shall      
submit to the congressional defense     
committees a report on the capabilities 
of the ,navy in the ,arctic region4     
7#b7 ,elements ,the report required in  
paragraph 7#a7 shall include an analysis
 of the following3 7,a7 ,the current    
naval capabilities of the ,department of
 ,defense in the ,arctic region1 with a 
particular emphasis on surface          
capabilities4  7,b7 ,any gaps that exist
 between the current naval capabilities 
described in paragraph 7#a7 and the     
ability of the ,department to fully     
execute its updated strategy for the    
,arctic region4  7,c7 ,any gaps in the  
capabilities described in paragraph 7#a7

 that require ice-hardening of existing 
vessels or the construction of new      
vessels to preserve freedom of          
navigation in the ,arctic region        
whenever and wherever necessary4  7,d7  
,an analysis and recommendation of which
 ,navy vessels could be ice-hardened to 
effectively preserve freedom of         
navigation in the ,arctic region when   
and where necessary1 in all seasons and 
weather conditions4  7,e7 ,an analysis  
of any cost increases or schedule       
adjustments that may result from        
ice-hardening existing or new ,navy     
vessels4  7#c7 ,comptroller ,general of 
the ,united ,states review ,not later   
than #ij days after the date on which   
the ,secretary submits the report       
required by paragraph 7#a71 the         
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall submit to the             
congressional defense committees a      
review of the report1 including any     
matters in connection with the report   
and the review that the ,comptroller    

,general considers appropriate4  7#d7   
,form ,the report under paragraph 7#a7  
and the review under paragraph 7#c7     
shall each be submitted in unclassified 
form1 but may include a classified      
annex4  #d4 ,deputy ,assistant          
,secretary of ,defense for the ,arctic  
,region  7a7 ,findings ,congress makes  
the following findings3 7#a7 ,current   
,department of ,defense jurisdiction    
over the ,arctic ,region is a classic   
case study in operational seams between 
three geographic combatant commands--the
 ,united ,states ,northern ,command     
7,,usnorthcom71 the ,united ,states     
,european ,command 7,,useucom71 and the 
,united ,states ,pacific ,command       
7,,uspacom7--and involving two          
functional combatant commands--the      
,united ,states ,strategic ,command     
7,,usstratcom7 and the ,united ,states  
,transportation ,command 7,,ustranscom74
  7#b7 ,within the ,arctic ,region1 the 
,united ,states ,european ,command has  
primary responsibility for the key      

adversary1 the ,united ,states ,pacific 
,command has operational control of the 
,united ,states forces located in       
,alaska that are best trained for       
,arctic conditions1 and the ,united     
,states ,northern ,command has the      
assigned role as the ,department of     
,defense ,advocate for ,arctic          
,capability4  7#c7 ,within the ,office  
of the ,secretary of ,defense1 there is 
no single person directly responsible   
for the coordination of ,arctic security
 issues and1 while the ,united ,states  
,northern ,command is the ,advocate for 
,arctic ,capabilities1 the ,january     
#bjag report of the ,department of      
,defense entitled ,report to ,congress  
on ,strategy to ,protect ,united ,states
 ,national ,security ,interests in the  
,arctic ,region was largely written from
 within the ,united ,states ,european   
,command4  7b7 ,deputy ,assistant       
,secretary of ,defense for the ,arctic  
,region  7#a7 ,in general ,there is a   
,deputy ,assistant ,secretary of        

,defense for the ,arctic ,region4 ,the  
,deputy ,assistant ,secretary shall be  
appointed by the ,secretary of ,defense 
from among individuals who have an      
extensive understanding of security     
environment in the ,arctic and          
,antarctic regions1 current ,united     
,states capabilities for the ,arctic and
 ,antarctic regions and future gaps in  
such capabilities1 and other appropriate
 policy matters relating to the ,arctic 
and ,antarctic regions4  7#b7 ,reporting
 ,the ,deputy ,assistant ,secretary     
shall report to the ,assistant          
,secretary of ,defense for              
,international ,security ,affairs4  7#c7
 ,duties ,subject to the authority1     
direction1 and control of the ,secretary
 of ,defense1 the ,under ,secretary of  
,defense for ,policy1 and the ,assistant
 ,secretary of ,defense for             
,international ,security ,affairs1 the  
,deputy ,assistant ,secretary shall     
assist the ,assistant ,secretary by     
overseeing the following3  7,a7         

,advocacy for ,united ,states national  
security interests in the ,arctic       
region1 including ,united ,states       
citizens1 territory1 freedom of         
navigation1 and economic and trade      
interests4  7,b7 ,mitigation of         
operational seams between relevant      
geographic and functional combatant     
commands in order to improve unity of   
effort among the combatant commands with
 responsibility for the ,arctic region4 
7,c7 ,identification of any capability  
gaps and resource gaps in the ,arctic   
region and the formulation of plans to  
mitigate these gaps4  7,d7              
,identification of actions by foreign   
nations which increase the threat to    
,united ,states interests in the ,arctic
 region1 and the formulation of plans to
 mitigate these actions4  7,e7 ,planning
 of military-to-military cooperation    
with partner nations that have mutual   
security interests in the ,arctic       
region4  7#d7 ,discharge of duties      
,subject to the authority1 direction1   

and control of the ,assistant           
,secretary1 in carrying out the duties  
specified in paragraph 7#c71 the ,deputy
 ,assistant ,secretary shall work       
closely with the following3  7,a7 ,the  
,under ,secretary of ,defense for       
,research and ,engineering4  7,b7 ,the  
,director of the ,defense ,advanced     
,research ,projects ,agency4  7,c7 ,the 
,director of the ,missile ,defense      
,agency4  7,d7 ,the ,director of the    
,strategic ,capabilities ,office 7or any
 successor organization74  7,e7 ,the    
,united ,states ,northern ,command4     
7,f7 ,the ,united ,states ,european     
,command4  7,g7 ,the ,united ,states    
,pacific ,command4  7,h7 ,the ,united   
,states ,strategic ,command4  7,i7 ,the 
,united ,states ,transportation         
,command4  7,j7 ,the ,alaska ,command4  
#e4 ,report on infrastructure required  
to protect national security interests  
of the ,united ,states in the ,arctic   
region  7a7 ,report required ,not later 
than one year after the date of the     

enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,defense shall submit to the         
congressional defense committees a      
report setting forth the requirements   
and investment plans for military       
infrastructure required to protect      
,united ,states national security       
interests in the ,arctic region4  7b7   
,elements ,the report required by       
subsection 7a7 shall include the        
following3 7#a7 ,a review of the        
operational plan for the protection of  
,united ,states national security       
interests in the ,arctic region1        
including strategic national assets1    
,united ,states citizens1 territory1    
freedom of navigation1 and economic and 
trade interests in the region4  7#b7 ,a 
description of ,united ,states military 
capabilities required to implement the  
operational plan1 including types of    
forces1 major weapon systems1 and       
logistics required for operations in    
,arctic terrain4  7#c7 ,a description of
 the installations1 infrastructure1 and 

deep water ports for deployment of      
assets required to support the          
operational plan1 including the         
stationing1 deployment1 and training of 
military forces for operations in the   
,arctic region4  7#d7 ,an investment    
plan to establish the installations and 
infrastructure required to implement the
 operational plan4  7c7 ,form ,the      
report required by subsection 7a7 shall 
be submitted in unclassified form1 but  
may include a classified annex4  #f4    
,improvement of domain awareness in the 
,arctic region  7a7 ,findings ,congress 
makes the following findings3 7#a7      
,current ,department of ,defense and    
commercial satellite constellations do  
not provide sufficient space coverage to
 offer consistent coverage of the       
,arctic and ,polar regions4  7#b7 ,the  
,united ,states military currently faces
 significant challenges in its ability  
to operate in the ,arctic region1 given 
these current communications1           
navigational1 and domain awareness      

shortfalls4  7#c7 ,the ,september #bjaf 
report of the ,international ,security  
,advisory ,board entitled ,report on    
,arctic ,policy stated that the ,arctic 
presents some unique problems of domain 
awareness1 given that it is a region    
with limited telecommunications         
capability1 unique geography1 and remote
 and indigenous populations4  7#d7 ,the 
,january #bjag report of the ,department
 of ,defense entitled ,report to        
,congress on ,strategy to ,protect      
,united ,states ,national ,security     
,interests in the ,arctic ,region       
concluded that command and control of   
forces are challenged by limited        
satellite and terrestrial communications
 above #fe degrees north and affirmed   
that addressing gaps in key enablers1   
particularly ,c#e;,,isr1 domain         
awareness1 remote sensing and observing 
capabilities1 ice prediction1 and       
weather forecasting remains a priority4 
7b7 ,report required  7#a7 ,in general  
,not later than #ahj days after the date

 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,defense shall submit to  
the congressional defense committees a  
report on strategies to improve ,united 
,states communications1 domain          
awareness1 and navigational capabilities
 in the ,arctic region4  7#b7 ,elements 
,the report under paragraph 7#a7 shall  
include the following3 7,a7 ,an         
identification of domain awareness1     
communications1 and navigational        
requirements in the ,arctic region4     
7,b7 ,a plan to leverage potential or   
existing partnerships with ,united      
,states allies1 ,state and local        
governments1 and commercial industries  
to meet immediate domain awareness1     
communications1 and navigational        
requirements in the ,arctic region1     
including the possible use of improved--
  7i7 satellite imagery and             
communications2  7ii7 terrestrial       
communications2 and  7iii7 unmanned     
aerial systems4  7,c7 ,any other urgent 
needs with respect to the capabilities  

described in paragraph 7#a7 that the    
,secretary considers appropriate4  7#c7 
,form ,the report under paragraph 7#a7  
shall be submitted in unclassified form1
 but may include a classified annex4