All Roll Calls
Yes: 432 • No: 428
HR261119th CongressWALLET
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Passed House
Summary
Prevents national marine sanctuaries from imposing additional permits or prohibitions on undersea fiber optic cables that already hold a federal or state license. It allows the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of those cables inside sanctuaries without extra sanctuary-specific permits, while preserving required interagency coordination.
Show full summary
- Cable operators: Licensed cable owners and contractors can install, operate, maintain, repair, and recover fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries without needing a separate sanctuary permit for those activities.
- Sanctuary managers: Sanctuary authorities cannot prohibit or demand additional permits for activities covered by a federal or state license, and certain previous limits on what special use permits can cover are removed, broadening permitted activities.
- Federal and State agencies: Existing interagency cooperation duties under section 304(d) remain in force for any federal action involving these cables, so agencies must still coordinate.
*The text contains no new funding, tax, or fiscal provisions and does not authorize new appropriations.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Fewer permits for cables in sanctuaries
If enacted, this would stop sanctuary managers from banning the work or adding extra sanctuary permits for undersea fiber‑optic cables when a federal or state license, lease, or permit is already in effect. It would cover installation, presence, operation, maintenance, repair, and recovery inside national marine sanctuaries. Federal agencies would still need to coordinate with NOAA under existing interagency rules. It would also remove some limits on what sanctuary special use permits can cover. The change would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
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 Passage
Yes: 218 • No: 212
house vote • 2/11/2026
On Motion to Recommit
Yes: 214 • No: 216