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S 318 119th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Advanced technology and technological innovations Computer security and identity theft Computers and information technology National Science Foundation Research and development

ANCHOR Act

Introduced: January 29, 2025 Introduced by: Padilla, Alex Democratic · California See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 10, 2025
Held at the desk.
Oct 10, 2025
Received in the House.
Oct 8, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Oct 8, 2025
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7007-7009; text: CR S7008-7009)
Oct 8, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 29, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 169.
Sep 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.
May 21, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jan 29, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Jan 29, 2025
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act or the ANCHOR Act 

This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications capabilities of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF).

ARF is comprised of U.S.-flagged vessels that provide at-sea laboratories where oceanographic scientists, educators, and students research and learn about marine science. 

The bill requires the plan to include assessments of

  • telecommunications and networking needs of ARF, consistent with typical scientific missions;
  • cybersecurity needs appropriate for the ownership of ARF vessels and their typical research functions;
  • the costs necessary to meet these needs; and
  • the time required to implement necessary upgrades.

The plan must also include (1) a spending plan for the NSF, the Office of Naval Research, nonfederal owners of ARF vessels, and users of the vessels to cover identified costs; and (2) a proposal regarding the adoption of common solutions or consortial licensing agreements, or the centralization of cybersecurity, telecommunications, or data management at a single facility. 

Among other factors specified in the bill, the NSF must consider the network capabilities necessary to meet mission needs (e.g., to upload data to shoreside servers), international standards and guidance for information security, and requirements for controlled unclassified or classified information. 

The plan must be provided to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment.

What's happening now October 10, 2025

Held at the desk.

 Hearings & markups 1
 Bill text 3 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 8

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

See all 8 filings →
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Sullivan, Dan
Alaska · Jan 29, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 318: ANCHOR Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-318/
MLA
"S. 318: ANCHOR Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-318/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 318, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-318/.
Markdown link
[S. 318: ANCHOR Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-318/)
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