Strategic Subsea Cables Act of 2026

Enhanced Security of Vital Infrastructure: By establishing an interagency committee and increasing engagement with international bodies, the bill seeks to protect critical undersea telecommunications and energy networks that are essential to global data flows and economic prosperity (Section 102, Section s 301).

Accountability for Sabotage: The bill allows the President to impose sanctions, such as blocking property and revoking visas, against foreign persons responsible for damaging or facilitating the sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure (Section 104).

Improved Information Sharing: The legislation creates procedures for the timely sharing of threat information between the government and private sector actors, which can help prevent or mitigate the effects of sabotage (Section 302).

Streamlined Processes: The bill directs the creation of an action plan to streamline the licensing and permitting processes for subsea infrastructure, which could promote international leadership in connectivity and deployments (Section 301).

Increased Expertise: The bill mandates expanding expertise within the Department of State specifically to support interagency engagement on undersea infrastructure protection and resilience (Section 201).

Potential for Unintended Sanction Effects: The bill provides the President with broad authority to impose sanctions, including blocking transactions and revoking visas, which are directed at foreign persons determined to be responsible for or complicit in infrastructure sabotage (Section 104).

Resource Allocation Requirements: The bill requires the assignment of a specific number of full-time equivalent individuals within the Department of State to handle these matters, which involves a commitment of personnel and resources (Section 201).