Shaheen, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Bill Keeping Foreign Spies Out of American Waters

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT) 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.

"I recently returned from a bipartisan congressional delegation to Canada, Greenland, Norway and Iceland, where we heard firsthand how Russia and China are expanding their presence and influence across the Arctic," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "As these adversaries deepen their cooperation in the region, the United States must deepen our own partnerships with Arctic allies to protect our 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."

"The United States must not tolerate China's increasing incursions into US waters under the guise of surveys and research," said Senator Lee. "This legislation shuts the door to foreign adversaries attempting to commit espionage and exercise influence at our doorstep in the Arctic, affirming the sole right of the American people to determine who may approach their shores, from the Aleutians to the Beaufort Sea."

Background

The Russian Federation and People's Republic of China - allied adversaries of the United States - are colluding to enhance their competitive presence in the Arctic region. Russia controls approximately 53% of the arctic coastline, and has significantly expanded its military infrastructure in the region. Likewise, the Pentagon reported "an unprecedented number of Chinese military and research vessels operated in or near U.S. Arctic waters" in 2025. The two nations have openly collaborated to establish a "polar silk road" for shipping and resource extraction through the Arctic, and have each used their access to target northern countries such as Canada and the Netherlands in various espionage operations.

This documented threat necessitates a focused and strategic defense by the United States to protect America's Arctic waters from adversarial espionage.

The Arctic Security and Diplomacy Act codifies a proclamation by President Trump requiring foreign vessels to request authorization from the U.S. Department of State before conducting research in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and on its continental shelf. Furthermore, the bill 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 Arctic Security and Diplomacy Act:

• Requires foreign vessels to request and receive consent from the U.S. Department of State prior to conducting maritime research in American waters
• Disqualifies all vessels of - or reasonably suspected to be associated with - adversarial nations such as China and Russia from obtaining consent to conduct maritime research in American waters
• Requires the U.S. 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
• Requires the U.S. Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress on espionage and influence operations by foreign adversaries in the Arctic and in American waters
• Requires U.S. federal agencies to share information related to relevant maritime research with the U.S. Department of State, unless otherwise prohibited by law

The text of the bill can be found HERE.

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