U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) on May 19 sponsored legislation to improve the licensing and security of submarine and cross-border terrestrial telecommunications cables.
“This is about partnering with President Trump’s efforts to reclaim America’s strength, secure our critical infrastructure, and ensure those who seek to harm us know they will pay the price,” said Rep. Yakym.
The Safeguarding Essential Cables through Undersea Risk Elimination (SECURE) American Telecommunications Act, H.R. 3479, would ensure that the United States is able to hold adversaries like China and Russia accountable for cutting submarine telecommunications cables, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s staff.
“Over the last four years, our adversaries grew bolder, economically and militarily, because they knew they’d face no real consequences,” Rep. Yakym said. “The SECURE American Telecommunications Act… enhances penalties for cutting undersea cables and creates a comprehensive new security framework to protect them.”
Submarine cables are the backbone of global digital infrastructure, carrying more than 95 percent of transoceanic data and facilitating over $10 trillion in daily financial transactions, yet they remain vulnerable to both physical and cyber threats, the summary says, noting that the laws governing them haven’t been updated in more than a century.
For instance, current penalties for damaging submarine cables are $500 for negligence and $5,000 for intentional acts. At the same time, there is no statutory mandate for physical or cybersecurity standards in place.
If enacted, H.R. 3479 would modernize the framework, strengthen penalties, mandate minimum security standards, improve interagency coordination, and prohibit cable connections that pose national security risks, the summary says.
For example, the penalty for intentionally cutting a submarine cable would be increased from a $5,000 fine to a Class C felony with a maximum fine of $250,000, and the bill would increase the penalty for negligently cutting a submarine cable from $500 to a Class A Misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of $100,000, the summary says.
The bill has been referred to several committees for consideration.