Research Fleet Cybersecurity and Communications Upgrade Plan
Also known as: ANCHOR Act
Legislative Progress
✓ Filed
✓ Review
✓ Senate
House
President
Key Points
Congress directs the National Science Foundation to deliver a plan within 1 year to improve cybersecurity and internet/telecom on U.S. university-run research ships.
The plan must size up what the ships need for real missions, like sending research data to shore, telemedicine in emergencies, and letting experts watch or help remotely.
It must also review cyber risks and protections, with input from the national cyber agency and the federal standards agency, including how to handle sensitive government info.
The plan has to estimate costs for gear and people (like satellite equipment, onboard computing, software, training, and support) and how long upgrades could take under different funding levels.
It must lay out how funding could be shared among federal science and naval research programs, universities/labs that own ships, and the ships’ users, and consider shared solutions to cut costs.
CybersecurityTelecommunicationsTechnology
Milestones
6 milestones10 actions
Oct 10, 2025House
Held at the desk.
Oct 10, 2025House
Received in the House.
Oct 8, 2025Senate
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Oct 8, 2025Senate
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.
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