Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
- Introduced Jan 9
- Committee Jan 9
- Passed House Feb 11
- Passed Senate Next
- To President Not yet
- Law Not yet
Where it stands
Passed House, Feb 11, 2026Next: Senate vote
258d ago Feb 12, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Final votes
House 218-212
2 roll calls on this bill
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Companies lobbying on this bill
2 companiesCompanies by sector
Technology & Software 2
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Votes
House roll 67
On Passage
R 215-1 D 3-211
218-212
Passed
Procedural votes1
House roll 66
On Motion to Recommit
R 0-216 D 214-0
214-216
Failed
Member trades
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Summary
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Full summary3 paragraphs
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.
Library of Congress summary, Jan 9, 2025
Summary versions
- Introduced in HouseJan 9, 2025
Actions
- SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.Feb 12, 2026
- HouseThe title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.Feb 11, 2026
- HousePassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67).Feb 11, 2026
- HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2162)Feb 11, 2026
- HouseOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 216 (Roll no. 66).Feb 11, 2026
- HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171)Feb 11, 2026
- HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 261, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Carbajal demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseMr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2166)Feb 11, 2026
- HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261.Feb 11, 2026
All actions25
- HouseRule provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one motion to recommit H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617, and one motion to commit S. 1383.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057. (consideration: CR H2161-2166)Feb 11, 2026
- HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1057 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one motion to recommit H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617, and one motion to commit S. 1383.Feb 11, 2026
- HouseRules 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.Feb 9, 2026
- HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181.Jul 2, 2025
- HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146.Jul 2, 2025
- HouseSubcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries DischargedJun 25, 2025
- HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldJun 25, 2025
- HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18.Jun 25, 2025
- HouseSubcommittee Hearings HeldJan 23, 2025
- HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.Jan 21, 2025
- HouseIntroduced in HouseJan 9, 2025
- HouseReferred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.Jan 9, 2025
Bill record
Text versions4
- Referred in SenateFeb 12, 2026PDF: Referred in Senate
- Engrossed in HouseFeb 11, 2026PDF: Engrossed in House
- Reported in HouseJul 2, 2025PDF: Reported in House
- Introduced in HouseJan 9, 2025PDF: Introduced in House
Committees2
- Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation CommitteeReferred To Feb 12, 2026
- House Natural Resources CommitteeReported By Jul 2, 2025Markup By, Jun 25, 2025Discharged from, Jun 25, 2025Referred To, Jan 9, 2025
- Subcommittee: Water, Wildlife and Fisheries SubcommitteeHearings By (subcommittee)
Sponsor and cosponsors7 cosponsors
- Rep. Earl Carter (R-GA-1)Sponsor, Jan 9, 2025
- August Pfluger (R-TX-11)OriginalJoined Jan 9, 2025
- Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-2)OriginalJoined Jan 9, 2025
- Kat Cammack (R-FL-3)OriginalJoined Jan 9, 2025
- Neal Dunn (R-FL-2)OriginalJoined Jan 9, 2025
- Russell Fry (R-SC-7)OriginalJoined Jan 9, 2025
- Cliff Bentz (R-OR-2)Joined Feb 12, 2025
- Nicholas Begich (R-AK)Joined Jun 25, 2025
Amendments1
- H.Amdt. 165Feb 11, 2026Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1057, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill is considered adopted.On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.
Cost estimates and reports2
- CBO: H.R. 261, Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025Feb 6, 2026As reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on July 2, 2025
- H. Rept. 119-181Committee report
Titles4
Short titles
- Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
Official titles
- 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.Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
- 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 agencyOfficial Titles as Amended by House
- 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.Official Title as Introduced
Subjects3
Policy area
Legislative subjects
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMarine and coastal resources, fisheries
Related bills3
- H.Res. 1042 119th, Related bill, Procedurally related Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2189) to modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 261) 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; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes; and for other purposes.
- H.Res. 1057 119th, Related bill, Procedurally related Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 1383) to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2189) to modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 261) 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; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes; and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules.
- S. 2873 119th, Identical bill Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 28, 2026.