[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5081 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5081
To amend the Arctic Research Policy Act of 1984 to improve the Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 18, 2024
Ms. Murkowski introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Arctic Research Policy Act of 1984 to improve the Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Arctic Research and Policy
Amendments Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. LONG TITLE AMENDMENT.
The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.)
is amended in the long title by striking ``provide'' and all that
follows through the period at the end and inserting ``provide a
comprehensive national policy on national research needs and objectives
in the Arctic, for programs necessary to carry out that policy,
including Federal programs of advanced materials research and
technology, and for other purposes.''.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
Section 102(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4101(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and homeland'' after
``national'';
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ``weather patterns and
must be understood in order to promote better agricultural
management throughout the United States'' and inserting
``weather and climate patterns and must be better understood to
address their impacts, challenges, and opportunities'';
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (17), as
paragraphs (7) through (19), respectively;
(4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
``(5) a rapidly changing climate reshapes the economic,
social, cultural, political, environmental, and security
landscape of the region;
``(6) sustained, robust, coordinated, and appropriately
funded Arctic research is required to inform United States and
international Arctic policy;''; and
(5) in paragraph (7), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by
inserting ``and climate'' after ``weather''.
SEC. 4. ARCTIC RESEARCH COMMISSION.
Section 103 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4102) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``seven'' and inserting
``eight'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) by striking ``are
representatives of'' and inserting
``represents'';
(II) by striking ``who live in
areas'' and inserting ``who lives in an
area''; and
(III) by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) one non-voting member appointed by the
Governor of Alaska from among individuals familiar with
Alaska and the Arctic region.''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``chairperson''
and inserting ``Chair''; and
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking the second
sentence and inserting the following: ``A member of the
Commission not presently employed for compensation
shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed
for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section
5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day
(including travel time) during which such member is
engaged in the performance of the duties of the
Commission, not to exceed 90 days of service each year,
or in the case of the Chair, not to exceed 120 days of
service each year.''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Chairman'' and
inserting ``Chair''.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
Section 104 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4103) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``Duties of the Commission.--''
before ``The Commission'';
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) as
paragraphs (5) through (12), respectively;
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) hold an annual joint meeting with the Interagency
Arctic Research Policy Committee to discuss national Arctic
research policy;
``(4) work with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy
Committee to identify research infrastructure priorities and
develop a joint research infrastructure plan with a single
budget to fund the research infrastructure activities of both
the Commission and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy
Committee;''; and
(D) in paragraph (5), as redesignated by
subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, Tribal,'' after
``State'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Commission Awards for Excellence in Research.--
``(1) In general.--Each year, the Commission may make a
cash award to any person in recognition of excellence in Arctic
research conducted by such person or outstanding support of
Arctic research provided by such person.
``(2) Amount.--The amount of a cash award made to a person
under paragraph (1) shall be fixed by the Commission and shall
not exceed $10,000.
``(3) Ineligibility of commission members.--An individual
who is or has been a member of the Commission shall be
ineligible to receive an award under paragraph (1).''; and
(4) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by
inserting ``Report.--'' before ``Not later than''.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMISSION.
Section 106 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4105) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Commission may'' and inserting the
following:
``(a) In General.--The Commission may'';
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) enter into agreements with the General Services
Administration, or, at the discretion of the Commission, such
other Federal agency or private entity that reaches an
agreement with the Commission, for the procurement of necessary
financial and administrative services, for which payment shall
be made in advance or by reimbursement from funds of the
Commission in amounts to be agreed upon by the Chair or
Executive Director of the Commission and the authorized
representative of the General Services Administration or other
Federal agency or private entity that will provide the
services;'';
(3) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
``(6) expend for representation and reception expenses each
fiscal year not more than 1 percent of the amounts made
available to the Commission under section 111 for such fiscal
year.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Applicable Regulations.--With respect to agreements entered
into under subsection (a)(4), if a Federal agency affords the services
described in such subsection, the regulations of that agency for the
collection of indebtedness of personnel resulting from erroneous
payments required under section 5514(b) of title 5, United States Code,
shall apply to the collection of erroneous payments made to or on
behalf of a Commission employee and regulations of that agency for the
administrative control of funds, as required under sections 1513(d) and
1514 of title 31, United States Code, shall apply to appropriations of
the Commission. The Commission shall not be required to prescribe such
regulations.''.
SEC. 7. LEAD AGENCY AND INTERAGENCY ARCTIC RESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE.
Section 107(b)(2) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4106(b)(2)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as subparagraph (P);
(2) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the following:
``(L) the Department of Agriculture;
``(M) the Marine Mammal Commission;
``(N) the Smithsonian Institution;
``(O) the Denali Commission; and''.
SEC. 8. CONSULTATION.
Section 108(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4107(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (9)(B), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (12); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
``(10) hold an annual joint meeting with the full
Commission to discuss national Arctic research policy;
``(11) work with the Commission to identify research
infrastructure priorities and develop a joint research
infrastructure plan with a single budget to fund the research
infrastructure activities of both the Commission and the
Interagency Committee; and''.
SEC. 9. ARCTIC RESEARCH PLAN.
Section 109(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4108(a)) is amended by striking ``The Plan'' and inserting
``Notwithstanding section 3003 of the Federal Reports Elimination and
Sunset Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C. 1113 note), the plan''.
SEC. 10. COORDINATION AND REVIEW OF BUDGET REQUESTS.
Section 110 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4109) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (a) and (b) as subsections
(b) and (c), respectively; and
(2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated by
paragraph (1), the following:
``(a) Budget Request of Interagency Committee.--The Interagency
Committee shall submit budget requests specifying and commensurate with
the resources needed to meet the obligations of the Interagency
Committee included in the Arctic Research Plan under section 109.''.
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