Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-261| House
| Updated: 2/12/2026
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter
Republican Representative
Georgia
Cosponsors (7)
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee, Natural Resources Committee
- Introduced
- In Committee
- On Floor
- Passed Chamber
- Enacted
The Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 aims to streamline the process for deploying and maintaining undersea fiber optic cables within national marine sanctuaries. It specifically amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prevent the Secretary of Commerce from imposing additional permitting requirements for these activities. This prohibition applies to the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of such cables. A key provision states that no new authorization is needed from the Secretary if a license, lease, or permit for these activities has already been issued and is in effect from another Federal or State agency . The bill clarifies that this change does not alter existing requirements for interagency cooperation. Additionally, it removes certain restrictions on activities covered by sanctuary special use permits by striking specific paragraphs from Section 310(c) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18.
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181.
Rules 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.
Rules 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.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057. (consideration: CR H2161-2166)
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057.
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.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Mr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources.
Mr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2166)
The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
POSTPONED 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.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171)
Considered as unfinished business.
On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 216 (Roll no. 66).
View VoteOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2162)
View VoteMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMarine and coastal resources, fisheries
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-261| House
| Updated: 2/12/2026
The Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 aims to streamline the process for deploying and maintaining undersea fiber optic cables within national marine sanctuaries. It specifically amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prevent the Secretary of Commerce from imposing additional permitting requirements for these activities. This prohibition applies to the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of such cables. A key provision states that no new authorization is needed from the Secretary if a license, lease, or permit for these activities has already been issued and is in effect from another Federal or State agency . The bill clarifies that this change does not alter existing requirements for interagency cooperation. Additionally, it removes certain restrictions on activities covered by sanctuary special use permits by striking specific paragraphs from Section 310(c) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18.
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181.
Rules 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.
Rules 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.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057. (consideration: CR H2161-2166)
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057.
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.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Mr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources.
Mr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2166)
The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
POSTPONED 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.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171)
Considered as unfinished business.
On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 216 (Roll no. 66).
View VoteOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2162)
View VoteMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter
Republican Representative
Georgia
Cosponsors (7)
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee, Natural Resources Committee
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Related Bills
- S 119-2873: Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
- HRES 119-1057: 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.
- HRES 119-1042: 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.
- Introduced
- In Committee
- On Floor
- Passed Chamber
- Enacted
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMarine and coastal resources, fisheries