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.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Washington for the opportunity to speak on this matter, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for really digging into this information and recognizing the potential national security interests as you heard outlined by them both.

There are hundreds of undersea fiber optic telecommunications cables linking North America with Europe, South America, and a myriad of locations in Asia, but not a single undersea fiber optic telecommunications cable connects North America with the entire African Continent.

The DiasporaLink Act represents an opportunity to establish a high- speed, secure telecommunications data connection to Africa and from American soil facilitating deepened economic connections and aiding American regional security assistance. This link will allow America to establish a direct digital presence on the continent to capitalize on emerging economic opportunities, as well as to protect our Nation against cyber and military threats that may come from the African Continent.

The landing points of Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, have been selected as part of the study on the continent as landing points for the cables. These coastal cities are hubs for several undersea cables that connect West African nations to Europe and South America. Additionally, the strategically located American Embassies at these landing points provide additional security for us.

There are two other nations which have been proliferating throughout the African Continent at this time. Both of those are our adversaries, and it is incredibly important that we establish our own telecommunications internet undersea cable to the continent.

The first one, which is China, has a proliferation of Chinese telecommunications and military investments which is profound and growing. The Chinese multinational Huawei has constructed roughly 70 percent of Africa's information technology infrastructure. China continues to make similar investments in the Caribbean through its

Belt and Road Initiative. No less than 10 nations have signed agreements of various kinds to open their nations up to Chinese influence.

Russia, as well, has developed a multipolar world order. Its deployment of disinformation and its use of mercenaries have undermined democratic stability and driven conflict on the continent of Africa. Moscow's increasing ambitions to position itself as an ally to African countries and stoke anti-Western sentiment has assisted to turn the continent into a flash point in the global strategic competition between Russia and the West.

Russia's support of authoritarian governments, including its backing of a string of coups in recent years, is undermining the continent's democratic aspirations. Meanwhile, the involvement of Russia's Wagner Group is driving conflict, worsening human rights abuses, and spurring growing militarization in governance: Nigeria in 2023, Mali in 2022, Sudan in 2021, Guinea in 2023, Burkina Faso in 2024, all coups in the last few years with tremendous influence by Russia and China in that.

The undersea cable linking the American East Coast and Africa via the United States Virgin Islands would serve as both a national security instrument and a digital commerce expressway to boost America's global political, economic, and military advantages. Such undersea cable development would facilitate similar links that could be developed in the U.S. Virgin Islands which already has links between the Virgin Islands, South America, and the mainland United States.

We also need to be clear about the minerals that are in Africa that are being extracted continually by both Russia and China. Niger is the world's seventh largest producer of uranium. The Ministry of Mines says that Mali has one of the largest deposits of gold, and lithium, as well; cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Sudan, which also has tremendous minerals; and Burkina Faso with bauxite and phosphate. These are things being exploited by our adversaries on the continent, which we must have our own dedicated interest in.

The DiasporaLink Act is an opportunity to assure that the United States can continue its work countering the proliferation of Chinese influence in the global telecommunications space. The use of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which not only has those cables, but also has a National Guard installation on the island of St. Croix with a nearby military support airport could expand and support that interest, as well.

I thank the Energy and Commerce Committee for reviewing this at the subcommittee level, having it go through the committee process, the regular order process that this House so desperately wants, and after working together, it unanimously coming out of committee here to the floor.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure for the interest not only of our country but for the democracy in the African Continent, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3385, a bill requiring the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the NTIA, to assess the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria, and to submit a report to Congress with its findings.

The bill also directs the NTIA to report to Congress on the current state of telecommunications connecting the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United States, including an assessment of the lifespan and security of the telecommunications infrastructure linking the two.

This assessment and report will provide the Energy and Commerce Committee with vital information on the strength and resiliency of communications infrastructure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will help us determine whether the American interests can be served by connecting the United States and the African Continent with undersea cable infrastructure by way of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

H.R. 3385 is a critical step to enhance American communications security and competitiveness around the world. In recent years, the United States and many allies have recognized the threat posed by untrusted Chinese telecommunications equipment to our own national security.

Thanks to the work of the Energy and Commerce Committee and our colleagues, we have taken steps to remove suspect equipment from the American communications networks to protect against attacks or sabotage by our adversaries, but this work is not finished because network security does not end at the water's edge.

For decades, China and other adversaries have spent considerable time and money to deploy suspect telecommunications equipment and infrastructure across the African Continent. The assessment required in this bill is an important step to understanding the cost of securing the connection between the United States and our African allies, and how best to ensure a critical global communications channel is protected from the prying eyes of our adversaries.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) for her leadership of this bill and the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher) for his partnership in this effort.

This legislation is critical to enhancing our Nation's national security and the security of communications between the United States and our African partners. I look forward to reviewing the results of NTIA's assessment when it becomes available.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett), and I thank her for her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. I just want to emphasize that H.R. 3385 is a matter of national security. I thank Representative Plaskett for painting such a clear picture of that risk. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3385) to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of developing a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3385. This bill would direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to assess the value, cost, and feasibility of developing a trans- Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the United States, the Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.

A trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable could provide national security benefits to the United States, making this an important issue to study.

I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands and the gentleman from Idaho's First District for leading on this important legislation. I also thank the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from New Jersey, for his willingness to work with Republicans on this legislation in a bipartisan way through regular order in the committee process.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3385, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again to highlight, H.R. 3385, as stated in the bill, the report shall include an assessment of the digital security, the national security, and the economic opportunities associated with a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable. This is again essential for our security.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3385, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight my bill, H.R. 3385, the DiasporaLink Act. This critical piece of legislation would request review of the feasibility of an undersea fiber-optic telecommunications cable established between the United States and Africa linked in the Virgin Islands of the United States.

This bill offers a significant opportunity to deepen economic connections and aid American regional security by establishing high- speed, secure telecommunications data connection from the American soil to the African Continent. The U.S. territory of the Virgin Islands, which is strategically positioned in transit zones to fight transnational crime and protect U.S. national and regional security, will prove to be a mutually advantageous location.

With increased terrorism and Russian, Chinese, and other adversarial nations on the African Continent, U.S. interests, the need for direct linkage is mandatory. The United States undersea cable linked in the Virgin Islands, which is already a hub, is within our national strategic interests.