H.R. 3385 — what changed

DiasporaLink Act

From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended and 1 removed between Introduced in House and Reported in House.

Section 1 Assessment of trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable

(a)

added Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as necessary, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 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, to enhance the national security of the United States.

(b)

added Elements— The report required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of—

(1)

added the digital security, national security, and economic opportunities associated with a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);

(2)

added the lifespan of submarine fiber optic cables currently connecting the United States Virgin Islands to the contiguous United States;

(3)

added the current security of telecommunications between the contiguous United States and the United States Virgin Islands;

(4)

added the readiness of telecommunications infrastructure in the United States Virgin Islands to support a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);

(5)

added the potential for engagement with trusted entities in the deployment of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a), and the associated geopolitical and economic advantages;

(6)

added the potential connectivity opportunities to maximize investments in the United States economy through the use of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);

(7)

added the value, cost, and feasibility of establishing a data center and high-security cloud services facility, with independent power generation, in the United States Virgin Islands for communications of the United States Africa Command, communications of the United States Special Operations Command, and national security communications;

(8)

added the state of submarine fiber optic cables connected to United States telecommunications infrastructure; and

(9)

added any other related matters the Secretary determines are appropriate.

(c)

added No mandatory data collection— The Secretary may not require any entity to provide data for purposes of preparing the report required by subsection (a).

(d)

added Form— The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form without any designation relating to dissemination control, but may include a classified annex.

(e)

added Definitions— In this section:

(1)

added Not trusted— The term “not trusted” means, with respect to an entity, that the entity is determined by the Secretary to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, or the security and safety of United States persons, based solely on one or more determination described under paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)).

(2)

added Secretary— The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

(3)

added Trusted— The term “trusted” means, with respect to an entity, that the Secretary has not determined that the entity is not trusted.

removed This Act may be cited as the “DiasporaLink Act”.

Sec. 2 Assessment of the development of trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable

removed

(a)

removed Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as necessary, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 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.

(b)

removed Elements— The report required by subsection (a) shall include—

(1)

removed the digital security, national security, and economic opportunities associated with a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);

(2)

removed the lifespan of submarine fiber optic cables currently connecting the United States Virgin Islands to the contiguous United States;

(3)

removed the current security of telecommunications between the contiguous United States and the United States Virgin Islands;

(4)

removed the current reliability and security of telecommunications infrastructure in the United States Virgin Islands;

(5)

removed the potential for engagement with trusted entities in the development by the United States of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a), and the associated geopolitical and economic advantages;

(6)

removed the potential digital sovereignty opportunities of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable described in subsection (a);

(7)

removed the value, cost, and feasibility of establishing a data center and high-security cloud services facility, with independent power generation, in the United States Virgin Islands for military and national security communications; and

(8)

removed any other related matters the Assistant Secretary determines are appropriate.

(c)

removed Form— The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form without any designation relating to dissemination control, but may include a classified annex.

(d)

removed Definitions— In this section:

(1)

removed Assistant Secretary— The term “Assistant Secretary” means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

(2)

removed Not trusted— The term “not trusted” means, with respect to an entity, that the entity is determined by the Assistant Secretary to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, or the security and safety of United States persons, based solely on one or more determination described under paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)).

(3)

removed Trusted— The term “trusted” means, with respect to an entity, that the Assistant Secretary has not determined that the entity is not trusted.