Bill · S. 318· Senate(119-S-318)
ANCHOR Act
- Introduced
- 1/29/2025
- Last activity
- 10/10/2025 — Held at the desk.
- Sponsored by
- Alex Padilla
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Awaiting House
What this bill would do
This Act, known as the "ANCHOR Act," requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to create a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. Within one year of enactment, the Director must submit this plan to specific Senate and House committees. The plan must include assessments of networking needs, cybersecurity requirements, and the costs involved for equipment and personnel. It also requires a spending plan to cover these costs through various funding sources. Additionally, the plan must consider network capabilities for scientific missions, medical care, and data management.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?+5
The bill mandates a plan to improve the cybersecurity of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet.
Does this put more money into scientific research?+3
The bill aims to enhance the technological capabilities required for scientific missions.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+3
The bill directs the consideration of network access to provide medical care via telemedicine.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-2
The bill may require non-Federal owners of vessels to provide funding for upgrades.
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?-1
The bill requires a spending plan that may include non-Federal owners in providing funds.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Scientific Research: The plan considers network capabilities necessary for conducting scientific surveys, seafloor mapping with remote experts, and uploading scientific data to shoreside servers (Section 3(c)(1)).
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Improved Medical Care: The plan aims to consider network access that can provide medical care via telemedicine or related crisis response care (Section 3(c)(1)(B)).
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Better Maintenance and Operations: The plan considers real-time streaming and coordinated viewing to allow shore-based observers to participate in maintenance or research, and to allow remote experts to advise on critical operational technology (Section 3(c)(1)(D) and (E)).
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Strengthened Security Standards: The plan includes assessments of cybersecurity needs and considerations for information security standards, such as the use of encryption for sensitive information (Section 3(b)(2) and Section 3(c)(2)(B)).
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Personnel Development: The plan considers facilitating access to cybersecurity personnel and the training of research and support personnel (Section 3(c)(2)(C)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Costs: The plan requires an assessment of costs for equipment, such as satellite communications and high-performance computing, as well as personnel costs in excess of current expenditures (Section 3(b)(3)).
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Financial Responsibility for Non-Federal Owners: The plan involves creating a spending plan that may include non-Federal owners of vessels in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet to provide funding (Section 3(b)(6)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Cybersecurity Defense+5
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+3
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2Improves Fiscal Responsibility-1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Students+2Good For Business Owners-2
- 10/10/2025
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 10/8/2025
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7007-7009; text: CR S7008-7009)
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 9/29/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-64.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 169.
- 5/21/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 1/29/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska