[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6199. Mr. WARNOCK (for himself and Mr. Kennedy) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1271. ASSESSMENT OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SUBMARINE FIBER OPTIC 
                   CABLE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Covered cable.--The term ``covered cable'' means a 
     trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in 
     subsection (b).
       (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Trade and Development Agency.
       (4) Not trusted.--The term ``not trusted'' means, with 
     respect to an entity, that the entity is determined by the 
     Director to pose an unacceptable risk to the national 
     security of the United States or the security and safety of 
     United States persons based solely on one or more 
     determinations described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of 
     section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications 
     Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)).
       (5) Trusted.--The term ``trusted'' means, with respect to 
     an entity, that the Director has not determined that the 
     entity is not trusted.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with the 
     heads of other Federal departments and agencies as necessary, 
     shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and 
     feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable 
     connecting the contiguous United States and Western Africa, 
     and potentially the United States Virgin Islands, to enhance 
     the national security of the United States.
       (c) Elements.--The report required by subsection (b) shall 
     include an assessment of--
       (1) the digital security, national security, and economic 
     opportunities associated with a covered cable;
       (2) the security of telecommunications between the 
     contiguous United States and the continent of Africa as of 
     the date of the report;
       (3) the potential for engagement with trusted entities in 
     the deployment of a covered cable, and the associated 
     geopolitical and economic advantages;
       (4) the potential connectivity opportunities to maximize 
     investments in the United States economy through the use of a 
     covered cable;
       (5) the state of submarine fiber optic cables connected to 
     United States telecommunications infrastructure; and
       (6) any other related matters the Director determines are 
     appropriate.
       (d) No Mandatory Data Collection.--The Director may not 
     require any entity to provide data for purposes of preparing 
     the report required by subsection (b).
       (e) Form.--The report required by subsection (b) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form without any designation 
     relating to dissemination control, but may include a 
     classified annex.
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