Bill

H.R. 261 (119th): Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

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.

house · Substantive

Rankings updated October 26, 2026, 11:44 AM ET · Votes through September 30, 2026
Exported candidates: 719 | Filings on file, by office: H: 5838 | P: 1467 | S: 1567. These counts include every filing for that office, so they are larger than the ranked list. One person can have more than one filing. Non-voting delegates are left out.

Recorded summary

The bill bars the Department of Commerce from prohibiting or requiring authorization for covered activities involving undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries when a state or federal agency has already issued a license, lease, or permit for that activity. Covered activities include installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, and recovery of such cables. It also lets Commerce direct NOAA to engage in interagency cooperation on federal agency actions likely to destroy, cause loss of, or injure a sanctuary resource where covered activities are involved.

communicationscritical_infrastructureenvironmental_regulationinfrastructurenational_securitysecurity

Theological note: The bill raises stewardship questions about protecting marine sanctuaries as part of creation while also weighing the common good of communications and critical infrastructure. Its relevance lies in whether permitting relief is ordered to lawful public benefit without diminishing responsible protection of sanctuary resources. This is an issue-relevance note, not a final candidate judgment.

How this bill is scored

Recorded votes

Roll 66 · 11-Feb-2026 6:23 PM · On Motion to Recommit · Failed

Yea 214 · Nay 216 · Other 2

Yea

Nay

Other

Roll 67 · 11-Feb-2026 6:29 PM · On Passage · Passed

Yea 218 · Nay 212 · Other 2

Yea

Nay

Other

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