Legislation securing undersea cables introduced in Congress

U.S. Reps. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced legislation safeguarding the U.S. submarine cable infrastructure Thursday.

The legislation, the Undersea Cable Protection Act, would ensure deployment and maintenance of undersea cables, while strengthening national security and eliminating duplicative permitting laws, the law makers said. The legislation will also preserve local, state and federal permitting rules and protect national marine sanctuaries.

“As we’ve just seen in the Baltic Sea, submarine cables are a critical part of any nation’s infrastructure and subject to attack from hostile foreign nations,” Carter said. “Unfortunately, our current protections against these threats are insufficient. I am proud to partner with Senator Blackburn on this vital legislation that will make the world safer and more connected than ever before, while enhancing government efficiency.”

The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn (R-FL), August Pfluger (R-TX), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL), and Randy Weber (R-TX).

“Recent developments in hybrid warfare have made it abundantly clear that protecting America’s undersea cables is crucial to our national security and economic vitality,” Dunn said. “We cannot allow overregulation to delay our ability to protect these vulnerable assets. I look forward to cutting redundant bureaucratic red tape to reinforce global connectivity and mitigate national security risks.”

The bill is also supported by industry stakeholders like the International Connectivity Coalition, INCOMPAS, the Telecommunications Industry Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.