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House Bill 261
119th Congress(2025-2026)
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Jan 9, 2025
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H. R. 261 (Reported-in-House)

Union Calendar No. 146

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 261

[Report No. 119–181]


To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2025

Mr. Carter of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Dunn of Florida, Mrs. Cammack, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. Fry, and Mr. Pfluger) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

July 2, 2025

Additional sponsors: Mr. Bentz and Mr. Begich

July 2, 2025

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 9, 2025]

A BILL

To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. Prohibition on prohibiting, or requiring permits or other authorizations for, undersea fiber optic cables authorized by a Federal or State agency.

The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 310 the following:

“SEC. 310A. Prohibition on prohibiting, or requiring permits or other authorizations for, undersea fiber optic cables authorized by a Federal or State agency.

“(a) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit, or require any permit, including any special use permit, or other authorization for, the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agency, and is in effect, authorizing such installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery.

“(b) Interagency cooperation.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering existing requirements regarding interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in any Federal agency action described in that section and involving the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.”.

SEC. 3. Removing restrictions on activities covered by sanctuary special use permits.

Section 310(c) of National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1441(c)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by adding “and” at the end;

(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and

(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2).

Amend the title so as to read: “A bill to amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit the Secretary of Commerce from prohibiting, or requiring any permit or other authorization for, the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have been authorized by a Federal or State agency.”.

Union Calendar No. 146

119th CONGRESS
     1st Session
H. R. 261
[Report No. 119–181]
A BILL
To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency.
July 2, 2025
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed