All Roll Calls
Yes: 432 • No: 428
HR261119th CongressWALLET
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Passed House
Summary
Creates a federal-state authorization shield for undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries. This bill would stop sanctuary officials from imposing bans or extra sanctuary permits when a federal or state license, lease, or permit already authorizes the installation, presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables. It also removes certain enumerated restrictions on sanctuary special use permits, simplifying what activities can be approved there.
Show full summary
- Cable operators and installers: Would not need a separate sanctuary permit if a federal or state license already authorizes their cable work inside a sanctuary. This makes sanctuary-level approval unnecessary in those cases.
- National marine sanctuary managers and the Secretary of Commerce: The bill would preserve existing interagency cooperation requirements under section 304(d) while removing specific limitations in the special use permit list, broadening what may be allowed under those permits.
- State and federal licensing agencies: Licenses, leases, or permits issued by these agencies would serve as controlling authorization for cable activities inside sanctuaries, linking sanctuary treatment to other agency approvals.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Skip sanctuary permits for undersea cables
If enacted, undersea cable owners and operators would not need a separate national marine sanctuary permit. This would apply only inside a sanctuary and only when a federal or state license, lease, or permit for the work is already in effect. It would cover installing, keeping in place, operating, maintaining, repairing, and recovering fiber optic cables. Existing federal interagency coordination rules would still apply.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
GA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
VA • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]
SC • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Pfluger
TX • R
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Bentz
OR • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]
AK • R
Sponsored 6/25/2025
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 2/11/2026
On Motion to Recommit
Yes: 214 • No: 216
house vote • 2/11/2026
On Passage
Yes: 218 • No: 212
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