Sponsors (2)
The bill could expand resilient trans‑Atlantic connectivity and strengthen secure communications while increasing private‑sector opportunities and transparency — but it also risks higher federal costs, vendor restrictions, and gaps in public oversight if reporting is voluntary or details are moved to a classified annex.
U.S. businesses (financial institutions, utilities, small businesses) could gain expanded trans‑Atlantic high‑capacity connectivity that creates new trade and data‑flow opportunities and attracts private investment.
Residents and local governments in U.S. territories (e.g., U.S. Virgin Islands) and nearby communities could get more resilient, high‑capacity communications, reducing outages and improving local services.
Military and national security agencies (e.g., AFRICOM, SOCOM) could obtain dedicated secure communications and access to nearby high‑security cloud/data‑center capacity, improving mission communications and data hosting.
Taxpayers and small businesses could face higher federal spending or the need for subsidies if the report reveals substantial construction and operating costs and policymakers choose to fund them.
Financial institutions, utilities, and other vendors could be restricted from participating if trust determinations label foreign companies 'not trusted,' narrowing vendor options and potentially raising costs.
Taxpayers and state/local officials may have reduced public scrutiny because a classified annex can conceal details of national security risks and the proposed mitigations from the public record.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires Commerce to report within 1 year on the feasibility, cost, and national‑security value of a submarine fiber cable linking the U.S., U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to deliver, within one year, an unclassified report (with an optional classified annex) assessing the value, cost, and feasibility of building a trans‑Atlantic submarine fiber‑optic cable linking the contiguous United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria to enhance U.S. national security. The report must address digital and national security implications, infrastructure readiness, trusted vendor engagement, opportunities for U.S. economic connectivity, and the feasibility of a secure data center in the U.S. Virgin Islands to support military and national security communications.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Stacey E. Plaskett · Last progress June 24, 2025