POLAR Act

This bill would create a Directorate for Polar Programs within the National Science Foundation to support research, education, workforce training, and research infrastructure in the Arctic and Antarctica. The directorate would manage the U.S. Antarctic Program, coordinate U.S. science in Antarctica, and support research stations, field camps, vessels, and logistics, including at least one location in Alaska. The Foundation's Director would appoint an Assistant Director to run it, set up an advisory committee of at least 10 members, and identify and yearly review a list of research and infrastructure priorities. The Director would give competitive grants and other awards to colleges, research groups, nonprofits, businesses, Indian Tribes, and others, and would report to Congress each year with separate budget lines for Arctic and Antarctic research and infrastructure.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Dan Sullivan Republican sponsor
• 2 cosponsors