Cable Security Fleet Expansion Act

Key Points

• This bill would increase the number of ships in the Cable Security Fleet from two to at least six. These specialized ships are responsible for maintaining and repairing undersea cables that carry internet and phone data across the world.
• The government would pay ship owners up to $7 million per year for each vessel, which is an increase from the current $5 million. This money helps make sure these private ships are available to the military during national emergencies.
• The total yearly budget for this program would jump from $10 million to $56 million. This funding would be set for several years, starting in 2027 and lasting through 2040.
• Expanding this fleet helps protect the global internet. Most of the world's digital traffic travels through undersea cables, and having more ships ready to fix them makes our communications more secure.

Impact Analysis

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