IIB 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1737 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JUNE 24, 2025 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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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 en-
hance 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-At-
lantic submarine fiber optic cable described in sub-
section (a); 
(2) the lifespan of submarine fiber optic cables 
currently connecting the United States Virgin Is-
lands to the contiguous United States; 
(3) the current security of telecommunications 
between the contiguous United States and the 
United States Virgin Islands; 
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(4) the readiness of telecommunications infra-
structure in the United States Virgin Islands to sup-
port a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable de-
scribed in subsection (a); 
(5) the potential for engagement with trusted 
entities in the deployment of a trans-Atlantic sub-
marine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a), 
and the associated geopolitical and economic advan-
tages; 
(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 estab-
lishing 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 in-
frastructure; and 
(9) any other related matters the Secretary de-
termines are appropriate. 
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(c) NO MANDATORY DATA COLLECTION.—The Sec-
retary may not require any entity to provide data for pur-
poses of preparing the report required by subsection (a). 
(d) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form without any des-
ignation 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 As-
sistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
and Information. 
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(3) TRUSTED.—The term ‘‘trusted’’ means, 
with respect to an entity, that the Secretary has not 
determined that the entity is not trusted. 
Passed the House of Representatives June 23, 2025. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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