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.

Key Points

• This bill asks the government to look into building a massive undersea internet cable. It would connect the mainland United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Ghana and Nigeria in Africa.
• The study will check if this cable would help national security and create new jobs. It also looks at building a high-security data center in the U.S. Virgin Islands to help military groups stay connected and keep their communications safe.
• Right now, the government wants to make sure our internet connections are safe from foreign threats. The study will focus on using trusted companies to build the cable instead of companies that might pose a risk to U.S. security.
• The Secretary of Commerce would have one year to finish this report and give it to Congress. While the bill does not build the cable yet, it is the first step in figuring out how much it would cost and if it is actually possible to do.

Impact Analysis

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