IB 
Union Calendar No. 146 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 261 
[Report No. 119–181] 
To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an 
authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, mainte-
nance, 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. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 9, 2025 
Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself, Mr. DUNN of Florida, Mrs. CAMMACK, 
Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia, Mr. FRY, and Mr. PFLUGER) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
JULY 2, 2025 
Additional sponsors: Mr. BENTZ and Mr. BEGICH 
JULY 2, 2025 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 9, 2025] 
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A BILL 
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 sanc-
tuary if such activities have previously been authorized 
by a Federal or State agency. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Undersea Cable Protec-
tion Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON PROHIBITING, OR REQUIRING 
PERMITS OR OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS FOR, 
UNDERSEA FIBER OPTIC CABLES AUTHOR-
IZED BY A FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY. 
The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 310 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 310A. PROHIBITION ON PROHIBITING, OR REQUIRING 
PERMITS OR OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS FOR, 
UNDERSEA FIBER OPTIC CABLES AUTHOR-
IZED BY A FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit, or require 
any permit, including any special use permit, or other au-
thorization for, the installation, continued presence, oper-
ation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber 
optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, 
lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agen-
cy, and is in effect, authorizing such installation, continued 
presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery. 
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‘‘(b) INTERAGENCY COOPERATION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed as altering existing requirements 
regarding interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in 
any Federal agency action described in that section and 
involving the installation, continued presence, operation, 
maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic ca-
bles in a national marine sanctuary.’’. 
SEC. 3. REMOVING RESTRICTIONS ON ACTIVITIES COVERED 
BY SANCTUARY SPECIAL USE PERMITS. 
Section 310(c) of National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 
U.S.C. 1441(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (2). 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend the 
National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit the Sec-
retary of Commerce from prohibiting, or requiring any 
permit or other authorization for, the installation, contin-
ued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery 
of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanc-
tuary if such activities have been authorized by a Federal 
or State agency.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 146 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 261 
[Report No. 119–181] 
A BILL 
To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to 
prohibit requiring an authorization for the instal-
lation, continued presence, operation, mainte-
nance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic 
cables in a national marine sanctuary if such ac-
tivities have previously been authorized by a Fed-
eral or State agency. 
JULY 2, 2025 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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