S. 1561: Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Implementation Act of 2009

111th Congress · introduced 2009-08-03 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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Where it came from: introduced 2009-08-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Implementation Act of 2009

Plain summary

Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Implementation Act of 2009 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should work to establish agreements to promote coordinated action among the United States, Russia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark and other seafaring and Arctic nations with respect to navigation, monitoring of conditions, and marine pollution in waters of the Arctic. Requires the Commandant of the Coast Guard to: (1) submit the High Latitude Polar Ice-Breaking Mission Analysis Report to Congress, along with any recommendations related to it; (2) contract with an independent entity to analyze future mission requirements of the Coast Guard in the Arctic and Antarctic; and (3) prepare vessel traffic risk assessments for the Bering Strait, Alaska, and for the Arctic Ocean waters adjacent to Alaska's North Slope. Directs the Commandant to consult with the Secretary of the Army to determine the viability of making the harbor at St. George Island, Alaska, a fully functional harbor of refuge throughout the year to enhance safety of life at sea and protection from oil pollution in the Central Bering Sea. Directs the Secretary of the Army to complete the harbor at St. George Island, including such improvements and any engineering design needed for safe navigation. Requires a study on the feasibility and potential of establishing a deep water sea port in the Arctic to protect and advance U.S. strategic interests within the Arctic region. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to transfer all amounts provided pursuant to any Act for procurement of polar icebreaking services to the United States Coast Guard Appropriation Accounts, to remain available until expended for operating expenses, renovation, and improvement. Authorizes appropriations to: (1) the Department of Homeland Security for icebreaking operations, Arctic seasonal operations, vessel traffic risk assessments, and construction of bases in Barrow, Nome, and Saint Paul Island, Alaska; and (2) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for hydrographic data acquisition and services and coastal change analysis in the Arctic.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Implementation Act of 2009

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s1561.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s1561 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111