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HR 261 119th Congress

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency.

Official Title as Introduced Congress.gov

Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Latest action Feb 12, 2026 Sponsor: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] Public Lands and Natural Resources
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Source: Congress.govUpdated 2026-08-03 13:15:07 UTC.

Source-linked procedural record

Bill journey

35 dated records

This is a chronology, not a progress score. Politically.com does not classify stages or infer what comes next. Records sharing a date are grouped because not every source field supplies a time.

Congress.gov Recently refreshed U.S. Senate XML Recently refreshed
Introduction 1 One supplied introduction date.
Official actions 27 27 dated action records.
Committees 2 2 undated relationships.
Amendments 1 1 dated, 0 without a supplied date.
Text versions 4 4 dated, 0 without a supplied date.
House roll calls 2 2 exact-key matchs.
Senate roll calls 0 No exact document-key match in the Senate-vote cache.
Related measures 3 3 undated relationships.
Linked law 0 No linked law record is cached; this does not predict outcome.

  1. Official action Congress.gov

    Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

    IntroReferral · House floor actions · Code H11100

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    Official action Congress.gov

    Introduced in House

    IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code Intro-H

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    Official action Congress.gov

    Introduced in House

    IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code 1000

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    Text version Congress.gov

    Introduced in House

    A dated text-version record is available.

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  2. Official action Congress.gov

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

    Committee · House committee actions · Code H11000

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  3. Official action Congress.gov

    Subcommittee Hearings Held

    Committee · House committee actions · Code H21000

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  4. Official action Congress.gov

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

    Committee · House committee actions · Code H19000

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    Official action Congress.gov

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

    Committee · House committee actions · Code H15001

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    Official action Congress.gov

    Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged

    Committee · House committee actions · Code H25000

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  5. Official action Congress.gov

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146.

    Calendars · House floor actions · Code H12410

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    Official action Congress.gov

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

    Committee · House floor actions · Code H12200

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    Official action Congress.gov

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

    Committee · Library of Congress · Code 5000

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    Text version Congress.gov

    Reported in House

    A dated text-version record is available.

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  6. Official action Congress.gov · 8:50 pm UTC

    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.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H1L210

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  7. Text version Congress.gov

    Engrossed in House

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    Amendment Congress.gov

    HAMDT 165

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

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    Official action Congress.gov · 10:46 am UTC

    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.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H1L210

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:08 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H30000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:08 pm UTC

    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.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:09 pm UTC

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:44 pm UTC

    The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H35000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:45 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H36200

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:45 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H8A000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 4:45 pm UTC

    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.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:18 pm UTC

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171)

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H30000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:24 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H36210

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:30 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H37100

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:30 pm UTC

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

    Floor · Library of Congress · Code 8000

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:30 pm UTC

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H38310

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    Official action Congress.gov · 6:30 pm UTC

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

    Floor · House floor actions · Code H38800

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  8. Official action Congress.gov

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

    IntroReferral · Senate

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    Text version Congress.gov

    Referred in Senate

    A dated text-version record is available.

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View the complete bill journey as an accessible table
Every dated cached record linked to HR 261. Same-date row order does not assert procedural sequence.
Date and timeRecordOfficial detailSource
IntroductionIntroduced Introduced in the House. Congress.gov
Official actionReferred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · House floor actions · Code H11100 Congress.gov
Official actionIntroduced in House No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code Intro-H Congress.gov
Official actionIntroduced in House No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code 1000 Congress.gov
Text versionIntroduced in House A dated text-version record is available. Congress.gov
Official actionReferred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. No additional detail supplied.Committee · House committee actions · Code H11000 Congress.gov
Official actionSubcommittee Hearings Held No additional detail supplied.Committee · House committee actions · Code H21000 Congress.gov
Official actionOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18. No additional detail supplied.Committee · House committee actions · Code H19000 Congress.gov
Official actionCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held No additional detail supplied.Committee · House committee actions · Code H15001 Congress.gov
Official actionSubcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged No additional detail supplied.Committee · House committee actions · Code H25000 Congress.gov
Official actionPlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 146. No additional detail supplied.Calendars · House floor actions · Code H12410 Congress.gov
Official actionReported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181. No additional detail supplied.Committee · House floor actions · Code H12200 Congress.gov
Official actionReported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-181. No additional detail supplied.Committee · Library of Congress · Code 5000 Congress.gov
Text versionReported in House A dated text-version record is available. Congress.gov
Official actionRules 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. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H1L210 Congress.gov
Text versionEngrossed in House A dated text-version record is available. Congress.gov
AmendmentHAMDT 165 On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection. Congress.gov
Official actionRules 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. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H1L210 Congress.gov
Official actionConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1057. (consideration: CR H2161-2166) No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H30000 Congress.gov
Official actionRule 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. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000 Congress.gov
Official actionDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 261. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000 Congress.gov
Official actionThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H35000 Congress.gov
Official actionMr. Carbajal moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H2166) No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H36200 Congress.gov
Official actionThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H8A000 Congress.gov
Official actionPOSTPONED 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. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000 Congress.gov
Official actionConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2169-2171) No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H30000 Congress.gov
Official actionOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 216 (Roll no. 66). No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H36210 Congress.gov
Official actionOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2162) No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H37100 Congress.gov
Official actionPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 212 (Roll no. 67). No additional detail supplied.Floor · Library of Congress · Code 8000 Congress.gov
Official actionMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H38310 Congress.gov
Official actionThe title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection. No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H38800 Congress.gov
House roll callHouse roll 66 On Motion to RecommitFailed Congress.gov
House roll callHouse roll 67 On PassagePassed Congress.gov
Official actionReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Senate Congress.gov
Text versionReferred in Senate A dated text-version record is available. Congress.gov

House roll calls join only on matching Congress, legislation type, and number. Senate roll calls join only on matching source-supplied document type and number, not question text. Committee and related-measure relationships have no date in their relationship records and therefore are counted above but never placed on the chronology.

Congressional Research Service

CRS summary

Introduced in House Jan 9, 2025

Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025This 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 documents

Text versions