Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Strategic Subsea Cables Act of 2026 strengthens U.S. protection of underwater cable infrastructure that carries internet traffic and is critical to national security and the economy. The bill directs the State Department to increase engagement with international bodies like the International Cable Protection Committee and report annually on how to better coordinate global cable protection efforts, including countering Chinese and Russian activities in this area. It requires the State Department to submit comprehensive reports within 180 days and then annually for five years detailing China's and Russia's capabilities to threaten undersea cables, including their surveillance and sabotage operations. The legislation also establishes a new interagency committee that must be created within one year to coordinate federal efforts on cable protection, streamline permitting processes, and partner with private cable companies, with the President reporting to Congress within 30 days on implementation plans and staffing needs. Additionally, the bill requires federal agencies to establish secure procedures for sharing intelligence about cable sabotage threats with private sector companies that hold appropriate security clearances, with the Director of National Intelligence reporting to Congress within 60 days on these procedures and annually on their effectiveness.
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