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H.R. 261Passed House

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

Introduced: Jan 9, 2025

Latest action date: Feb 12, 2026

Latest development

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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Congress
119th Congress
Introduced
Jan 9, 2025
Recorded roll calls
2

Status detail: The full action history records passage in the House.

Plain-language overview

What this bill does

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce from enforcing certain permit requirements for activities related to undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries. 

Specifically, Commerce may not prohibit or require an authorization for any covered activities related to undersea fiber optic cables if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a state or federal agency to authorize the covered activity. Covered activities are the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.

The bill also authorizes Commerce to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to engage in interagency cooperation regarding federal agency actions that are likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure a resource in a national marine sanctuary and involve covered activities.  

Official summary from Congress.gov.

Civixly topics

What this legislation is about

Civixly topics make federal and state legislation comparable. They are derived from the official CRS policy area and legislative subjects.

Official CRS policy area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

View 2 official legislative subjects
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMarine and coastal resources, fisheries

Committee activity

Committees and subcommittees that received, reviewed, marked up, or reported this legislation.

houseStanding

Natural Resources Committee

Official committee record ↗
  1. Referred To
  2. Discharged from
  3. Markup By
  4. Reported By
  5. Unknown
  6. Unknown
houseSubcommittee

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

Official committee record ↗
  1. Referred to
  2. Hearings By (subcommittee)

Amendments

Proposed changes to this measure, with their latest official outcome or action from Congress.gov.

View amendments1 amendment
H.Amdt. 165houseAgreed toFeb 11, 2026

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1057, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill is considered adopted.

Latest action: On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.

Congress.gov ↗

Checked against Congress.gov Oct 16, 2026.

Action timeline

Newest action first. Action language comes from the official Congress.gov record.

View full action timeline27 actions
  1. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

    IntroReferralSenate
  2. The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  3. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  4. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67).

    FloorLibrary of Congress
  5. On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2162)

    FloorHouse floor actions
  6. On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 216 (Roll no. 66).

    FloorHouse floor actions
  7. Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171)

    FloorHouse floor actions
  8. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 261, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Carbajal demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  9. The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  10. Mr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2166)

    FloorHouse floor actions
  11. The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  12. DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  13. Rule provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one motion to recommit H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617, and one motion to commit S. 1383.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  14. Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057. (consideration: CR H2161-2166)

    FloorHouse floor actions
  15. Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1057 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of S. 1383, H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one motion to recommit H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617, and one motion to commit S. 1383.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  16. Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1042 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, H.R. 261 and H.R. 3617. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, H.R. 261, and H.R. 3617 under a closed rule and provides for one hour of debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.

    FloorHouse floor actions
  17. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181.

    CommitteeLibrary of Congress
  18. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146.

    CalendarsHouse floor actions
  19. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181.

    CommitteeHouse floor actions
  20. Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  21. Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18.

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  22. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  23. Subcommittee Hearings Held

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  24. Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  25. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

    IntroReferralHouse floor actions
  26. Introduced in House

    IntroReferralLibrary of Congress
  27. Introduced in House

    IntroReferralLibrary of Congress

Roll-call votes

Recorded House and Senate votes connected to this bill. Your representatives appear first when available.

FailedFeb 11, 2026House · Roll call 66

On Motion to Recommit

216 Nay214 Yea2 Not Voting
View 432 recorded positions
David ScottYea
Eric SwalwellYea
Riley M. MooreNot Voting
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickYea
Tony GonzalesNay
PassedFeb 11, 2026House · Roll call 67

On Passage

218 Yea212 Nay2 Not Voting
View 432 recorded positions
David ScottNay
Eric SwalwellNay
Rick W. AllenNot Voting
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickNay
Tony GonzalesYea

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Sources: Congress.gov and official House and Senate vote records.

View data freshness details

Base metadata check pending · Civixly summary check pending · Action timeline checked Oct 16, 2026 · Complete sponsorship check pending · Topics checked Oct 16, 2026 · Committees checked Oct 16, 2026 · Status checked Oct 16, 2026 · Related bills checked Oct 16, 2026.