To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1737 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1737

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report
   containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a
 trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous
  United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2025

  Ms. Plaskett (for herself and Mr. Fulcher) introduced the following
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report
   containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a
 trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous
  United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ASSESSMENT OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SUBMARINE FIBER OPTIC CABLE.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other
Federal departments and agencies as necessary, shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of
a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous
United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria, to
enhance the national security of the United States.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include
an assessment of--
            (1) the digital security, national security, and economic
        opportunities associated with a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber
        optic cable described in subsection (a);
            (2) the lifespan of submarine fiber optic cables currently
        connecting the United States Virgin Islands to the contiguous
        United States;
            (3) the current security of telecommunications between the
        contiguous United States and the United States Virgin Islands;
            (4) the readiness of telecommunications infrastructure in
        the United States Virgin Islands to support a trans-Atlantic
        submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);
            (5) the potential for engagement with trusted entities in
        the deployment of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable
        described in subsection (a), and the associated geopolitical
        and economic advantages;
            (6) the potential connectivity opportunities to maximize
        investments in the United States economy through the use of a
        trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in
        subsection (a);
            (7) the value, cost, and feasibility of establishing a data
        center and high-security cloud services facility, with
        independent power generation, in the United States Virgin
        Islands for communications of the United States Africa Command,
        communications of the United States Special Operations Command,
        and national security communications;
            (8) the state of submarine fiber optic cables connected to
        United States telecommunications infrastructure; and
            (9) any other related matters the Secretary determines are
        appropriate.
    (c) No Mandatory Data Collection.--The Secretary may not require
any entity to provide data for purposes of preparing the report
required by subsection (a).
    (d) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted
in unclassified form without any designation relating to dissemination
control, but may include a classified annex.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Not trusted.--The term ``not trusted'' means, with
        respect to an entity, that the entity is determined by the
        Secretary to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security
        of the United States, or the security and safety of United
        States persons, based solely on one or more determination
        described under paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of
        the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47
        U.S.C. 1601(c)).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce
        for Communications and Information.
            (3) Trusted.--The term ``trusted'' means, with respect to
        an entity, that the Secretary has not determined that the
        entity is not trusted.
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