119th Congress · introduced in the House · Feb 27, 2025
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jun 24, 2025): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Feb 27, 2025)
This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to submit a report to Congress that assesses the feasibility, value, cost, and security implications of a submarine fiber optic cable to connect the contiguous United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria. The report must include, among other topics, an assessment of the potential establishment of a data center and high-security cloud services facility in the U.S. Virgin Islands for certain national security communications.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2847)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2847)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1737.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2847-2848)
Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 121.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-155.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-155.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies · Government buildings, facilities, and property · Government studies and investigations · Virgin Islands
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
9 citations.
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Telecommunications
$160,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · posted Jul 20, 2026 · issue area: Telecommunications
$170,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted Apr 10, 2026 · issue area: Telecommunications
$150,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 20, 2026 · issue area: Telecommunications
$150,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 10, 2025 · issue area: Telecommunications
$160,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · posted Jul 21, 2025 · issue area: Telecommunications
$3,130,000
Spent on own lobbying
…unications Security Act - all provisions related to cable. -HR 1721 - Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act - all provisions related to cable. -HR 1737 - To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · posted Jul 17, 2025 · issue area: Telecommunications
$160,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · posted Apr 21, 2025 · issue area: Telecommunications
$3,220,000
Spent on own lobbying
…unications Security Act - all provisions related to cable. -HR 1721 - Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act - all provisions related to cable. -HR 1737 - To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · posted Apr 11, 2025 · issue area: Telecommunications
$160,000
Spent on own lobbying
…hority H.R. 1731, Standard FEES Act - Issues relating to Infrastructure Deployment, Permitting and Siting, Including on Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Lands H.R. 1737, To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing