,,iii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #afg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #i1 #bjbe,ms4 ,murkowski 7for herself and ,mr4 ,king7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,recognizing the importance of the ,arctic ,council and reaffirming the commitment of the ,united ,states to the ,arctic ,council4 ,whereas the ,united ,states became an ,arctic nation upon the purchase of ,alaska in #ahfg2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council was established on ,september #ai1 #aiif1 through the ,ottawa ,declaration1 to enhance cooperation1 coordination1 and interaction among the ,arctic states with the active involvement of ,arctic ,indigenous peoples and other ,arctic inhabitants on common ,arctic issues2 ,whereas the ,united ,states is a founding member of the ,arctic ,council and has twice served as ,chair1 from #aiih to #bjjj1 and again from #bjae to #bjag2 ,whereas the ,ottawa ,declaration defines #h states1 ,canada1 ,denmark1 ,finland1 ,iceland1 ,norway1 the ,russian ,federation1 ,sweden1 and the ,united ,states1 as ,arctic states and members of the ,arctic ,council as they have sovereignty over territory in the ,arctic region2 ,whereas the ,arctic region is undergoing unprecedented environmental1 economic1 and social changes due to the impacts of climate change and increased human activity2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council has an advanced understanding of ,arctic challenges through scientific assessments1 policy recommendations1 and collaborative initiatives2 ,whereas the engagement of ,indigenous communities and respect for traditional knowledge are integral to the ,arctic ,council's success2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council is the leading intergovernmental initiative involving all ,arctic states1 raising global awareness of the ,arctic's significance and influencing international climate policies2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council has addressed key issues such as persistent organic pollutants1 oil spill prevention1 search and rescue1 and scientific collaboration2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council emphasizes sustainable development1 environmental protection1 and peace in the ,arctic amidst growing competition over resources and shipping routes2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council has played a vital role in maintaining the ,arctic as a region of low tension and its continued work is essential to ensuring a safe1 secure1 and stable ,arctic for all2 ,whereas the ,arctic ,council has made significant contributions to understanding ,arctic biodiversity1 ocean health1 and sustainable resource management1 while also addressing emerging threats such as microplastics and shipping pollution2 ,whereas the ,united ,states has demonstrated leadership in ,arctic affairs1 notably through initiatives such as the ,arctic ,climate ,impact ,assessment1 which provided a groundbreaking understanding of climate change impacts1 and the ,international ,circumpolar ,surveillance system1 a region-wide disease surveillance system led by the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 ,whereas the ,united ,states has supported collaborative ,arctic ,council initiatives such as the ,circumpolar ,wildland ,fire ,initiative1 developed under ,norway's ,chairship1 in partnership with ,gwich'in ,council ,international2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation's illegal war of aggression against ,ukraine has significantly impacted the operations of the ,arctic ,council1 raising concerns over the ,russian ,federation's military modernization in the ,arctic and reinforcing cooperative security ties among the #g other ,arctic states 7commonly known as the ,a#g72 ,whereas1 in response to the invasion of ,ukraine by the ,russian ,federation1 the ,a#g states temporarily paused participation in all ,arctic ,council meetings2 ,whereas the ,european ,union suspended cooperation with the ,russian ,federation in the ,barents ,euro-,arctic ,council1 leading to the withdrawal of the ,russian ,federation in #bjbc2 ,whereas1 despite the suspension of cooperation with the ,russian ,federation1 the ,arctic ,council and its working groups resumed activities in mid-#bjbc2 ,whereas1 in ,february #bjbd1 the ,russian ,federation suspended annual payments to the ,arctic ,council until its participation was reinstated2 ,whereas1 in ,february #bjbd1 the #h ,arctic states1 in consultation with ,indigenous permanent participant organizations1 reached consensus to gradually resume official working group meetings2 ,whereas ,finland and ,sweden's accession to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization has heightened the ,arctic's strategic importance for the alliance2 ,whereas1 in recent years1 the ,united ,states has expanded its diplomatic presence in the ,arctic region and strengthened economic and people to people ties with the region2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation's diplomatic isolation from the ,a#g states has led to the ,kremlin's increased cooperation with non-,a#g countries1 particularly the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 which poses a threat to ,united ,states and ,european national security2 and ,whereas a national intelligence estimate by the ,national ,intelligence ,council indicates that both ,arctic and non-,arctic states will likely increase their competitive activities and military presence in the region as warming temperatures make the ,arctic more accessible and states seek to protect their investments3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes the key role the ,arctic ,council has played as a critical forum for fostering international cooperation1 sustainable development1 and environmental protection in the ,arctic region2 7#b7 commends the ,arctic ,council for its achievements in promoting scientific research1 policy coordination1 and ,indigenous participation to address regional challenges2 7#c7 affirms the ,united ,states commitment to active participation and leadership within the ,arctic ,council to advance shared goals and uphold the values of cooperation and respect among ,arctic nations and ,indigenous peoples2 7#d7 acknowledges the ,arctic ,council's #h member states--,canada1 ,denmark1 ,finland1 ,iceland1 ,norway1 the ,russian ,federation1 ,sweden1 and the ,united ,states--as key participants in the ,arctic ,council due to their sovereignty over territories in the ,arctic ,region1 which enables them to engage in collaborative efforts to address ,arctic issues2 7#e7 encourages increased collaboration among ,arctic ,council member states1 permanent participants1 and observers to address emerging challenges and opportunities in the ,arctic1 including the impacts of climate change and sustainable economic development2 7#f7 supports robust funding and resources for ,united ,states agencies and organizations engaged in ,arctic ,council activities to ensure the ,united ,states fulfills its responsibilities as an ,arctic nation2 7#g7 calls upon the ,arctic ,council to continue prioritizing peace1 security1 and environmental stewardship in the ,arctic to safeguard the region for future generations2 7#h7 urges the executive branch to uphold and promote the principles and objectives of the ,arctic ,council in its ,arctic policy and diplomacy efforts2 7#i7 emphasizes the importance of increased ,united ,states attention and resources in the ,arctic as geopolitical competition and human activities in the region intensify2 and 7#aj7 emphasizes the importance of the position of ,united ,states ,arctic ,ambassador-at-,large to provide strong and consistent ,united ,states leadership in ,arctic diplomacy and engagement and urges the executive branch to take all necessary steps to prevent prolonged vacancies in this critical role4