Foreign Affairs Committee, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
This bill directs the President, acting through the Secretary of Commerce and in coordination with the Secretary of State, to formulate a comprehensive strategy. This strategy aims to eliminate the availability to foreign adversaries of items required for supporting undersea cables , aligning with existing U.S. export control policy. It mandates the identification of specific items crucial for the construction, maintenance, or operation of undersea cable projects. The strategy must also detail existing U.S. and multilateral export controls and licensing policies for these items concerning foreign adversaries. It requires identifying key U.S. allies and partners with significant global market shares for these items, along with descriptions of their availability. Furthermore, the strategy will outline ongoing negotiations with other countries to achieve unified export controls and licensing policies to prevent adversary access. Beyond strategy development, the bill mandates the President to submit annual reports to Congress for three years, detailing the strategy and its implementation. Within one year, the President must also seek to establish bilateral or multilateral agreements with allies to further restrict adversary access to these items, including provisions for noncompliance. The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with evaluating and implementing appropriate export controls, potentially adding these technologies to the Commerce Control List, considering potential end uses and users.
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Mr. Baumgartner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3733-3734)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2503.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3733-3734: 1)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
International Affairs
AsiaBroadcasting, cable, digital technologiesChinaCongressional oversightLicensing and registrationsTechnology assessmentTechnology transfer and commercializationTrade restrictions
Undersea Cable Control Act
USA119th CongressHR-2503| House
| Updated: 9/3/2025
This bill directs the President, acting through the Secretary of Commerce and in coordination with the Secretary of State, to formulate a comprehensive strategy. This strategy aims to eliminate the availability to foreign adversaries of items required for supporting undersea cables , aligning with existing U.S. export control policy. It mandates the identification of specific items crucial for the construction, maintenance, or operation of undersea cable projects. The strategy must also detail existing U.S. and multilateral export controls and licensing policies for these items concerning foreign adversaries. It requires identifying key U.S. allies and partners with significant global market shares for these items, along with descriptions of their availability. Furthermore, the strategy will outline ongoing negotiations with other countries to achieve unified export controls and licensing policies to prevent adversary access. Beyond strategy development, the bill mandates the President to submit annual reports to Congress for three years, detailing the strategy and its implementation. Within one year, the President must also seek to establish bilateral or multilateral agreements with allies to further restrict adversary access to these items, including provisions for noncompliance. The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with evaluating and implementing appropriate export controls, potentially adding these technologies to the Commerce Control List, considering potential end uses and users.
Foreign Affairs Committee, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
International Affairs
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
AsiaBroadcasting, cable, digital technologiesChinaCongressional oversightLicensing and registrationsTechnology assessmentTechnology transfer and commercializationTrade restrictions