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Arctic Yearbook 2015
nation. That needs to change. Before policymakers can make informed decisions about Arctic
investments, they need to know why this area is so critical.
That is why I worked with Congressman Young from Alaska to start the Congressional Arctic
Working Group. The Working Group seeks to help members of Congress better understand the
opportunities and challenges for the U.S. as an Arctic nation, and it acts as a resource for other Arctic
countries to interact with Congress.
Since its inception a year ago, the Working Group has raised awareness about the importance of the
Arctic through events for Members and their staff to meet with Arctic officials from other Arctic
nations, as well as a variety of stakeholders.
We held a discussion with Norway’s State Secretary, heard from Canada’s Senior Arctic Official about
the recent Canadian Arctic Council chairmanship, and held a briefing with senior State Department
officials to discuss the agenda for the U.S. chairmanship. The Working Group also hosted
representatives of indigenous groups from Russia. Continuing international engagement with all the
members of the Arctic Council is critical, and the Working Group is filling that role in Congress.
There are other steps the U.S. should take. Every Arctic nation except the U.S. has an ambassadorlevel position dedicated to Arctic affairs. The U.S. should join its peers by creating such a position,
which is why I introduced a bill with Congressman Sensenbrenner to do just that. An Ambassador to
the Arctic would help the U.S. better manage our many interests in the region, as well as signal our
country’s commitment to international cooperation on Arctic policy.
The U.S. also does not have the icebreaking capability to fulfill research and commercial missions in
the uniquely icy seas. The U.S. Coast Guard has said it needs at least three each of heavy and medium
duty icebreakers. But currently the U.S. only has one of each, and other countries have jumped far
ahead of us on this front. Russia is currently bu