US Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Mike Lee of Utah have introduced the Arctic Security and Diplomacy Act, a bipartisan bill to keep spy ships from adversarial nations such as China and Russia from conducting research and espionage operations in American waters.
Shaheen said that as China and Russia deepen their cooperation in the region, the United States must deepen its own partnerships with Arctic allies to protect US waters, critical infrastructure, and national security interests.
"This bipartisan legislation will help ensure that foreign vessels linked to China, Russia, and other adversaries cannot exploit scientific research as a cover for espionage or intelligence-gathering activities in American waters, while strengthening our ability to identify and respond to emerging threats in the Arctic," Shaheen explained.
The Arctic Security and Diplomacy Act codifies a proclamation by US President Trump requiring foreign vessels to request authorisation from the US Department of State before conducting research in the U.S. exclusive economic zone and on its continental shelf.
The bill also builds on President Trump’s action by prohibiting foreign vessels from adversarial nations such as China and Russia from conducting such research in American waters at all.
The act requires the US Secretary of State to produce a strategy in collaboration with relevant agencies and intelligence community leaders to identify and combat espionage and influence operations by foreign adversaries in the Arctic. It also requires US federal agencies to share information related to relevant maritime research with the US Department of State, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
