Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA01) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) recently celebrated the House of Representatives' passage of their Undersea Cable Protection Act, a bill strengthening national security and global connectivity by safeguarding the United States’ submarine cable infrastructure.
Rep. Carter described it as the next step in advancing President Trump’s national security agenda. He then explained the importance of undersea infrastructure in maintaining global connectivity.
Carter explained, “Streamlining and improving the permitting processes behind our submarine cable infrastructure will help advance global connectivity and speed up deployment and maintenance, ensuring our cables are not subject to attacks from hostile foreign nations such as China.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn stated that it will mark a critical win for the country’s infrastructure if passed by the Senate. “I’m thrilled to see this pass the House, and I’m looking forward to its passage in the Senate, which will deliver a critical win for America’s digital infrastructure, national security, and economic competitiveness,” Blackburn commented.
HR 261
The bill, which now heads to the Senate, will accomplish its goals by ensuring the diversity of routes for national security, eliminating duplicative permitting laws, and promoting the deployment and maintenance of submarine cables.
Also known as House Resolution 261, the bill preserves existing local, state, and federal permitting rules and protects national marine sanctuaries. It prohibits the Department of Commerce (DOC) from enforcing certain permit requirements for activities related to undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries.
Additionally, the DOC 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 activity.
Covered activities include the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.
House Republicans are putting the security of America FIRST by passing legislation like @RepBuddyCarter’s Undersea Cable Protection Act to STRENGTHEN America’s economic and national security.
NO ONE gets to push America around! pic.twitter.com/uJau3ESm9Z
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) February 11, 2026
