H.R. 261 — 119th Congress
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
Sponsor
More bills from this sponsor
119th Congress| Measure | Title |
|---|---|
| H.R. 2493 · Health | Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025 |
Latest action
Feb 12, 2026Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
CRS summary
As of Jan 9, 2025Introduced in House
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce from enforcing certain permit requirements for activities related to undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries.
Specifically, Commerce may not prohibit or require an authorization for any covered activities related to undersea fiber optic cables if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a state or federal agency to authorize the covered activity. Covered activities are the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.
The bill also authorizes Commerce to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to engage in interagency cooperation regarding federal agency actions that are likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure a resource in a national marine sanctuary and involve covered activities.
Congressional Research Service, via api.congress.gov (public domain)
Roll-call votes
2 on recordFeb 11, 2026 · On Passage
Full roll callYea — 218: 214 R · 3 D · 1 I
Nay — 212: 211 D · 1 R
Not Voting — 2: 2 R
| Member | State |
|---|---|
| Rick W. Allen | GA |
| Gregory F. Murphy | NC |
Feb 11, 2026 · On Motion to Recommit
Full roll callYea — 214: 214 D
Nay — 216: 215 R · 1 I
Not Voting — 2: 2 R
| Member | State |
|---|---|
| Gregory F. Murphy | NC |
| Riley M. Moore | WV |
Member pages currently show roll-call votes from the 119th Congress only. The “Member pages” column marks votes from that congress.