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HR 261

A Resolution designating July 22, 2025, as "Hemihyperplasia Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chad Reichard and 5 co-sponsors

H.R. 261 blocks NOAA from requiring extra permits for undersea fiber cables in sanctuaries when a federal or state license already authorizes the work, speeding deployment.

Laid on the table (Pursuant to House Rule 71)
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Bill Summary · HR 261

Summary — H.R. 261 (Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025)

Note on document discrepancy
- The top-line metadata in your submission references a different subject (a highways/resolution item). The official committee report and bill text provided (H. Rept. 119-181) show H.R. 261 as the "Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025." This summary follows the committee-reported text (Undersea Cable Protection Act).

Purpose

To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) to prohibit the Secretary of Commerce from forbidding—or from requiring an additional permit or other authorization for—the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber‑optic cables in a national marine sanctuary when those activities already are authorized by a Federal or State license, lease, or permit.

Key provisions

  • Inserts a new section (SEC. 310A) into the National Marine Sanctuaries Act that:
    • Bars the Secretary of Commerce from prohibiting or requiring any permit (including Special Use Permits, SUPs) or other authorization for undersea fiber‑optic cable activities in a national marine sanctuary if a Federal or State license/lease/permit authorizing those activities is in effect.
    • States this prohibition applies "notwithstanding any other provision" of the Act.
    • Preserves existing interagency cooperation requirements under section 304(d) for any federal agency actions involving such cables.
  • Amends section 310(c) of the NMSA to remove certain SUP restrictions (strikes existing paragraphs and redesignates paragraphs) and eliminates the five‑year timeline for SUPs, allowing broader categories of activities within sanctuaries to be covered.

Who would be affected

  • Federal agencies: NOAA (Department of Commerce) would have reduced authority under the NMSA to impose additional permit requirements for cables; other federal agencies (e.g., FCC, Department of Defense) and state permitting authorities issuing authorizations for undersea cables.
  • Industry: submarine cable operators and telecommunications firms would likely face fewer sanctuary‑level permitting steps for projects already authorized at the federal/state level.
  • National marine sanctuaries and resource managers: less ability to impose sanctuary‑specific permit conditions or to deny cable activities not already prohibited by the authorizing permit.
  • Environmental and coastal stakeholders: potential changes in environmental review and mitigation processes for cables impacting sanctuary resources.

Procedural status & key actions

  • Introduced: January 9, 2025 (Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter).
  • Referred to House Natural Resources; Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (hearing 1/23/2025).
  • Committee mark‑up: 6/25/2025; ordered reported (Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute agreed); reported favorably to House as amended (H. Rept. 119‑181) and placed on the Union Calendar (Calendar No. 146) 7/2/2025.
  • Committee roll‑call to report: 25 yeas, 18 nays.

Potential impacts and issues

  • Would likely accelerate siting and deployment of undersea fiber‑optic cables through sanctuaries by removing sanctuary‑level permit requirements when a federal/state authorization exists.
  • Could reduce duplicative permitting and associated costs/delays cited by industry advocates.
  • Raises potential concerns about sanctuary resource protection and environmental oversight if NOAA’s ability to impose additional conditions or to deny activities within sanctuaries is constrained.
  • May prompt legal or interagency coordination questions regarding overlapping authorities, environmental review (NEPA), and national security considerations for subsea infrastructure.

For full text and committee report, see H. Rept. 119‑181 (reported July 2, 2025).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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