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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress
The most significant limitation of the present research was the small sample size of our
surveys.... future research should replicate these findings with larger sample sets....
Our surveys also represent only a snapshot in time. Americans' Arctic disposition could
shift seasonally or over years as policy priorities and news stories shape public opinion.
Future research could usefully include ecurring periodic surveys to measure longitudinal
changes in American national identity in relation to the Arctic.6
U.S. Arctic Research
Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) of 1984, As Amended
The Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) of 1984 (Title I of P.L. 98-373 of July 31, 1984)
"provide[s] for a comprehensive national policy dealing with national research needs and
objectives in the Arctic."8 The act, among other things
" made a series of findings concerning the importance of the Arctic and Arctic
research;
" established the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) to promote Arctic
research and recommend Arctic research policy;
" designated the National Science Foundation (NSF) as the lead federal agency for
implementing Arctic research policy;
" established the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to
develop a national Arctic research policy and a five-year plan to implement that
policy, and designated the NSF representative on the IARPC as its chairperson;9
and
" defined the term "Arctic" for purposes of the act.
The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 was amended by P.L. 101-609 of November 16,
1990. For the texts of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 and P.L. 101-609, see
Appendix A and Appendix B, respectively.
FY2019 NSF Budget Request for Arctic Research
NSF-the lead federal agency for implementing Arctic research policy-carries out Arctic
research activities through its Office of Polar Programs (OPP), which operates as part of the
Directorate for Geosciences (GEO). NSF is requesting a total of $534.5 million for OPP for
FY2019, an increase of 30.6% over the $409.18 million requested for FY2018, and an increase of
14.3% over the $467.85 million actual for FY2017. Within the $534.54 million requested for OPP
for FY2019 is $113.56 million for research in both the Arctic and Antarctic, an increase of 2.7%
over the $110.58 million requested for FY2018, and a reduction of 4.6% from the $119.05 million
actual for FY2017. Also within the $534.54 million requested for OPP for FY2019 is $39.33
6 Zachary D. Hamilla, The Arctic in U.S. National Identity (2015), Arctic Studio, December 19, 2017, pp. 1, 3, 7.
7 Title II of P.L. 98-373 is the National Critical Materials Act of 1984.
8 These words are taken from the official title of P.L. 98-373. (Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 is the short title
of Title I of P.L. 98-373.) The remainder of P.L. 98-373's official title relates to Title II of the act, the short title of
which is the National Critical Materials Act of 1984.
9 The IARPC currently includes more than a dozen federal agencies, departments, and offices. Additional information
on the IARPC is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/arctic/iarpc/start.jsp.Congressional Research Service 5
Congressional Research Service
5
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O'Rourke, Ronald. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress, report, August 1, 2018; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248258/m1/10/?rotate=270: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.