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.
| Action Date | Type | Text | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-09 | Floor | Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1042 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one hour of debate and one motion to recommit on each bill. | House floor actions |
| 2025-07-02 | Calendars | Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146. | House floor actions |
| 2025-07-02 | Committee | Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181. | House floor actions |
| 2025-06-25 | Committee | Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18. | House committee actions |
| 2025-06-25 | Committee | Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held | House committee actions |
| 2025-06-25 | Committee | Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged | House committee actions |
| 2025-01-23 | Committee | Subcommittee Hearings Held | House committee actions |
| 2025-01-21 | Committee | Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. | House committee actions |
| 2025-01-09 | IntroReferral | Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. | House floor actions |
| 2025-01-09 | IntroReferral | Introduced in House | Library of Congress |