[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ESTABLISHING HIGH-SPEED, SECURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DATA CONNECTION FROM 
               THE AMERICAN SOIL TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

  (Ms. PLASKETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight my bill, H.R. 
3385, the DiasporaLink Act. This critical piece of legislation would 
request review of the feasibility of an undersea fiber-optic 
telecommunications cable established between the United States and 
Africa linked in the Virgin Islands of the United States.
  This bill offers a significant opportunity to deepen economic 
connections and aid American regional security by establishing high-
speed, secure telecommunications data connection from the American soil 
to the African Continent. The U.S. territory of the Virgin Islands, 
which is strategically positioned in transit zones to fight 
transnational crime and protect U.S. national and regional security, 
will prove to be a mutually advantageous location.
  With increased terrorism and Russian, Chinese, and other adversarial 
nations on the African Continent, U.S. interests, the need for direct 
linkage is mandatory. The United States undersea cable linked in the 
Virgin Islands, which is already a hub, is within our national 
strategic interests.

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