Expanding subsea fiber-optic cable expertise at the Department of State

(a) In general The Secretary of State shall assign not fewer than two full-time equivalent individuals, to be located in the Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, in order to support the Department of State’s interagency engagement on matters related to subsea cables, including— (1) protection and resilience; (2) coordination with United States allies and partners; and (3) United States engagement in international bodies that cover subsea cables. (b) Assignment The Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy may not dual-hat currently employed personnel in meeting the minimum hiring requirement outlined in subsection (a). (c) Notification Not later than 15 days after fulfilling the hiring requirement in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall notify the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. (d) International cooperation on subsea cables Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on how the United States Government plans to prioritize diplomatic engagement within relevant international bodies to spur increased information-sharing between allied and partner governments and relevant private sector companies on subsea fiber-optic cables.

(a) In general The Secretary of State shall assign not fewer than two full-time equivalent individuals, to be located in the Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, in order to support the Department of State’s interagency engagement on matters related to subsea cables, including— (1) protection and resilience; (2) coordination with United States allies and partners; and (3) United States engagement in international bodies that cover subsea cables. (b) Assignment The Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy may not dual-hat currently employed personnel in meeting the minimum hiring requirement outlined in subsection (a). (c) Notification Not later than 15 days after fulfilling the hiring requirement in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall notify the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. (d) International cooperation on subsea cables Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on how the United States Government plans to prioritize diplomatic engagement within relevant international bodies to spur increased information-sharing between allied and partner governments and relevant private sector companies on subsea fiber-optic cables.