ANCHOR Act

The ANCHOR Act, which passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House, would direct the National Science Foundation to create a comprehensive plan to strengthen cybersecurity and telecommunications systems on U.S. Academic Research Fleet vessels. These ships serve as floating laboratories where oceanographers, educators, and students conduct marine science research at sea.

The bill would require the NSF to assess the current telecommunications and networking capabilities of these research vessels, evaluate their cybersecurity vulnerabilities, estimate upgrade costs, and determine implementation timelines. The plan would also need to address how to handle sensitive information, comply with international security standards, and potentially establish shared cybersecurity solutions across multiple vessels to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Within one year of enactment, the NSF would submit this plan to Congress along with a spending proposal involving the NSF, the Office of Naval Research, private vessel owners, and research users. For everyday citizens, this bill would help ensure that U.S. oceanographic research—which contributes to understanding climate change, marine ecosystems, and ocean health—can be conducted securely and with reliable communication systems, protecting both the research data and the scientists conducting critical marine science missions.