Improving United States Government coordination of subsea fiber-optic cables

(a) Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) According to a December 2024 Department of Homeland Security white paper, There currently exists no forum in which the full scope of the [subsea] cable industry can effectively collaborate with the U.S. government to identify and address shared challenges.. (2) United States Federal Government responsibilities for the protection of subsea fiber-optic cables, damage reporting, information and intelligence sharing, and emergency response are overseen by various government actors through a multitude of mechanisms spanning several Federal departments and agencies. (3) In order for the subsea fiber-optic cable industry to align with United States economic and security interests, the United States Government must provide the industry a clearer concept of operations, assessed risks to cable supply chain and infrastructure, and defined lines of effort in cases of emergency. (b) Establishment Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency committee (referred to in this Act as the interagency committee) comprised of the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies, to lead United States Government efforts to— (1) protect and improve the resilience of subsea fiber-optic cable networks; (2) facilitate subsea fiber-optic cable permitting; and (3) address other matters related to subsea fiber-optic cables deemed appropriate and necessary by the President. (c) Coordination The President shall direct the interagency committee to conduct an overview of the United States Federal Government’s operational authorities for subsea fiber-optic cable security and resilience. The overview shall include— (1) an interagency concept of operations for partnering with non-Federal entities, including subsea fiber-optic cable owners and operators, to secure and repair subsea fiber-optic cable systems in a variety of crisis scenarios; and (2) an interagency review and action plan to streamline subsea fiber-optic cable permitting processes in order to promote United States international leadership in cable connectivity and deployments and risk-based prioritization and standardization of additional security and resilience assessments. (d) Analysis of subsea fiber-Optic cable cuts and outages (1) In general The President shall direct the heads of the relevant Federal agencies to develop strategies to coordinate closely within the interagency process and with subsea fiber-optic cable industry stakeholders to review subsea fiber-optic cable cuts and outages, including by leveraging analysis from industry-wide data, to— (A) identify trends; (B) refine attributions, particularly in cases where subsea fiber-optic cables have been intentionally damaged by malicious actors; (C) identify high-risk geographic areas for subsea fiber-optic cable construction; and (D) inform future risk mitigation efforts to reduce damage to subsea fiber-optic cable systems. (2) Strategy elements The strategies required under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) resourcing requirements; (B) coordination with United States allies and partners; and (C) the necessary technical expertise to make attributions for intentional subsea fiber-optic cable cuts by malicious actors. (e) Report Not later than 30 days after establishing the required interagency committee under subsection (b), the President shall submit to Congress a report that includes the following elements: (1) Any resources required to sufficiently staff the interagency committee and United States Federal agencies overseeing the objectives outlined in subsection (b). (2) A detailed plan for how the interagency committee will advance the objectives outlined in subsection (b).

(a) Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) According to a December 2024 Department of Homeland Security white paper, There currently exists no forum in which the full scope of the [subsea] cable industry can effectively collaborate with the U.S. government to identify and address shared challenges.. (2) United States Federal Government responsibilities for the protection of subsea fiber-optic cables, damage reporting, information and intelligence sharing, and emergency response are overseen by various government actors through a multitude of mechanisms spanning several Federal departments and agencies. (3) In order for the subsea fiber-optic cable industry to align with United States economic and security interests, the United States Government must provide the industry a clearer concept of operations, assessed risks to cable supply chain and infrastructure, and defined lines of effort in cases of emergency. (b) Establishment Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency committee (referred to in this Act as the interagency committee) comprised of the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies, to lead United States Government efforts to— (1) protect and improve the resilience of subsea fiber-optic cable networks; (2) facilitate subsea fiber-optic cable permitting; and (3) address other matters related to subsea fiber-optic cables deemed appropriate and necessary by the President. (c) Coordination The President shall direct the interagency committee to conduct an overview of the United States Federal Government’s operational authorities for subsea fiber-optic cable security and resilience. The overview shall include— (1) an interagency concept of operations for partnering with non-Federal entities, including subsea fiber-optic cable owners and operators, to secure and repair subsea fiber-optic cable systems in a variety of crisis scenarios; and (2) an interagency review and action plan to streamline subsea fiber-optic cable permitting processes in order to promote United States international leadership in cable connectivity and deployments and risk-based prioritization and standardization of additional security and resilience assessments. (d) Analysis of subsea fiber-Optic cable cuts and outages (1) In general The President shall direct the heads of the relevant Federal agencies to develop strategies to coordinate closely within the interagency process and with subsea fiber-optic cable industry stakeholders to review subsea fiber-optic cable cuts and outages, including by leveraging analysis from industry-wide data, to— (A) identify trends; (B) refine attributions, particularly in cases where subsea fiber-optic cables have been intentionally damaged by malicious actors; (C) identify high-risk geographic areas for subsea fiber-optic cable construction; and (D) inform future risk mitigation efforts to reduce damage to subsea fiber-optic cable systems. (2) Strategy elements The strategies required under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) resourcing requirements; (B) coordination with United States allies and partners; and (C) the necessary technical expertise to make attributions for intentional subsea fiber-optic cable cuts by malicious actors. (e) Report Not later than 30 days after establishing the required interagency committee under subsection (b), the President shall submit to Congress a report that includes the following elements: (1) Any resources required to sufficiently staff the interagency committee and United States Federal agencies overseeing the objectives outlined in subsection (b). (2) A detailed plan for how the interagency committee will advance the objectives outlined in subsection (b).