S.Amdt. 5894

This amendment, titled the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resilience Initiative Act, aims to add a new subtitle to the bill to protect undersea cables and energy infrastructure near Taiwan. It is designed to counter "gray zone tactics" used by the People's Republic of China (PRC), such as the sabotage of undersea cables, which the text identifies as a primary vulnerability for Taiwan.

The amendment proposes the following changes and additions:

• Establishment of an Initiative: It creates the Taiwan Critical Undersea Infrastructure Initiative to focus on real-time monitoring, rapid response protocols for damaged infrastructure, and enhanced maritime awareness to detect suspicious vessels.

• Infrastructure Hardening: It encourages the use of resilient materials and improved burial depths to protect cables from sabotage and natural disasters.

• International Cooperation: It directs the Secretary of State to build cooperative frameworks and joint drills with global partners and increase diplomatic pressure on the PRC.

• Sanctions: It authorizes the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons, vessels, or entities responsible for or facilitating the sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure. These sanctions include blocking property and denying visas.

• Contingency Planning: It establishes a Cross-Strait Contingency Planning Group, chaired by the National Security Council, to conduct scenario-based exercises for potential crises involving Taiwan, such as blockades or cyber attacks.

• Accountability: It requires the President to submit semiannual reports on sabotage incidents and annual classified reports on the preparedness of the United States and its allies.