CONGANALYTICS
Bills/HR 261
HR 261In Committee

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

Legislative Progress
Introduced
Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Both Chambers
Enacted
SummaryIntroduced in House
2025-01-09

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce from enforcing certain permit requirements for activities related to undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries.  Specifically, Commerce may not prohibit or require an authorization for any covered activities related to undersea fiber optic cables if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a state or federal agency to authorize the covered activity. Covered activities are the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary. The bill also authorizes Commerce to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to engage in interagency cooperation regarding federal agency actions that are likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure a resource in a national marine sanctuary and involve covered activities.  

Text Versions4 versions
VersionDateFormats
Referred in Senate2026-02-12T05:00:00Z
Engrossed in House2026-02-11T05:00:00Z
Reported in House2025-07-02T04:00:00Z
Introduced in House2025-01-09T05:00:00Z
Introduced2025-01-09
119th Congress
Cosponsors7
Co-sponsoring members
Policy AreaPublic Lands and Natural Resources
Primary subject
Last Action2026-02-12
Received in the Senate and Read twice an
Legislative Subjects2 total
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMarine and coastal resources, fisheries
Latest Action2026-02-12

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.