; (2) identify an acceptable alternative to the project described in paragraph (1) that could receive Federal support; and (3) expedite the completion of a feasibility study for the acceptable alternative identified under paragraph (2). 1206. Arctic deep draft port (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The strategic importance of the Arctic continues to increase as the United States and other countries recognize the economic and military significance of the sea lanes and choke points within the region and understand the potential for power projection from the Arctic into multiple regions. (2) On January 19, 2018, Secretary of Defense James Mattis released the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States of America in which the Secretary outlined the reemergence of long-term, strategic competition by countries such as China and Russia. (3) Russia and China have conducted military exercises together in the Arctic, have agreed to connect the Northern Sea Route, claimed by Russia, with the Maritime Silk Road of China, and are working together in developing natural gas resources in the Arctic. (4) The Government of the Russian Federation has prioritized the development of Arctic capabilities and has made significant investments in military infrastructure in the Arctic, including the creation of a new Arctic Command and the construction or refurbishment of 16 deepwater ports and 14 airfields in the region. (5) The Government of the People’s Republic of China— (A) released, in January 2018, its new Arctic Strategy, the Polar Silk Road, in which it declares itself as a near-Arctic state