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119-hr-2503119th Congress

Undersea Cable Control Act

Sponsored By: Representative Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]

Passed House

Summary

Blocks foreign adversaries from getting the parts and suppliers needed for undersea communications cables. The law directs the Commerce and State Departments to produce a strategy and public reports that list required items, identify suppliers, and recommend steps to eliminate adversary access.

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  • Undersea cable operators: The government will identify the parts and companies used to build, operate, and maintain cables. The Commerce Department will evaluate those items for export, reexport, and in-country transfer controls and may add technologies to the Commerce Control List.
  • Allies and partners: The U.S. will seek bilateral and multilateral agreements with allies and partners to unify export controls and licensing rules and to bar sales to foreign adversaries, with penalties for noncompliance.
  • Standards bodies and foreign-adversary tracking: The strategy must name entities under foreign-adversary control that support cable projects and describe foreign activity at international standards-setting bodies to inform U.S. leadership and security responses.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Block undersea cable gear to adversaries

This bill would require a national plan to keep foreign adversaries from getting undersea cable parts and tools. The plan would name the items used to build, run, and fix these cables. It would map U.S. and partner export rules, list allied suppliers, and flag entities tied to foreign adversaries. It would push U.S. leadership in standards groups and track adversary activity and risks there. The President would send the plan to Congress within 180 days, post an unclassified version online, and update it yearly for 3 years. Within 1 year, and then annually for 3 years, the President would seek agreements with allies to block access and include penalties for breaking the deals. Briefings to Congress would start 30 days after the first report and then every 180 days until agreements are in place.

Tighter export reviews for cable equipment

This bill would direct the Secretary of Commerce to review exports, reexports, and in‑country transfers of undersea cable items named in the plan. Commerce would decide if any items should be added to the Commerce Control List and need licenses. Commerce would work with Defense, State, and others and consider end uses and end users. The policy would be to work with allies to control these items to or within embargoed countries, including arms‑embargoed nations. Commerce would notify Congress within 1 year, and then yearly for 3 years, listing items reviewed and why each was added or not added to the list.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]

NJ • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 4/8/2025

  • Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/8/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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