Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act

This bill aims to keep Taiwan’s internet and phone lines working during crises by protecting the undersea cables that carry most of its data. It directs the U.S. to help Taiwan detect trouble fast, fix broken cables quickly, and watch nearby waters for suspicious ships. It also pushes for joint drills and info-sharing with allies, and encourages making the cables tougher to cut or damage. These steps respond to recent cable cuts and suspected sabotage that caused major outages near Taiwan’s islands and raised costs and risks for people and businesses there .

If someone from the People’s Republic of China is found responsible for damaging Taiwan’s critical cables, the U.S. must act. Their property under U.S. control can be blocked, and they can be denied visas or have visas revoked. These measures are meant to deter future attacks and keep daily life—like banking, calls, and online services—running in Taiwan even during tension or storms. The plan must be set up within 360 days, and the Administration must update Congress every six months on incidents and responses .

• Who is affected: People and businesses in Taiwan that rely on internet and phone service; U.S. and allied agencies working on monitoring and repairs; individuals or groups who sabotage cables face U.S. penalties .
• What changes: Better real-time cable monitoring; faster repair plans; more patrols and shared intelligence; tougher, more resilient cables; sanctions on responsible saboteurs .
• When: Build the new initiative within 360 days; report to Congress every 180 days after that .