#aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #bfa  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend the     
,national ,marine ,sanctuaries ,act to  
prohibit the ,secretary of ,commerce    
from prohibiting1 or requiring any      
permit or other authorization for1 the  
installation1 continued presence1       
operation1 maintenance1 repair1 or      
recovery of undersea fiber optic cables 
in a national marine sanctuary if such  
activities have been authorized by a    
,federal or ,state agency4  #a4 ,short  
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,undersea ,cable ,protection ,act of    
#bjbe4  #b4 ,prohibition on prohibiting1
 or requiring permits or other          
authorizations for1 undersea fiber optic
 cables authorized by a ,federal or     
,state agency ,the ,national ,marine    
,sanctuaries ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #adca  
et seq47 is amended by inserting after  
section #caj the following3  #caj;,a4   
,prohibition on prohibiting1 or         
requiring permits or other              
authorizations for1 undersea fiber optic

 cables authorized by a ,federal or     
,state agency  7a7 ,in general          
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
this ,act1 the ,secretary may not       
prohibit1 or require any permit1        
including any special use permit1 or    
other authorization for1 the            
installation1 continued presence1       
operation1 maintenance1 repair1 or      
recovery of undersea fiber optic cables 
in a national marine sanctuary if a     
license1 lease1 or permit has been      
issued by a ,federal or ,state agency1  
and is in effect1 authorizing such      
installation1 continued presence1       
operation1 maintenance1 repair1 or      
recovery4  7b7 ,interagency cooperation 
,nothing in this section shall be       
construed as altering existing          
requirements regarding interagency      
cooperation under section #cjd7;d7 in   
any ,federal agency action described in 
that section and involving the          
installation1 continued presence1       
operation1 maintenance1 repair1 or      

recovery of undersea fiber optic cables 
in a national marine sanctuary4  4  #c4 
,removing restrictions on activities    
covered by sanctuary special use permits
 ,section #caj7;c7 of ,national ,marine 
,sanctuaries ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4        
#adda7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in         
paragraph 7#a71 by adding and at the    
end2  7#b7 by striking paragraphs 7#b7  
and 7#c72 and  7#c7 by redesignating    
paragraph 7#d7 as paragraph 7#b74       
,passed the ,house of ,representatives  
,february #aa1 #bjbf4;,clerk4