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.

# HR 1737 Summary **What It Does** This bill directs the U.S. Department of Commerce to study the feasibility and costs of building a submarine fiber optic cable (an underwater internet cable) that would connect the continental United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria. The study would also examine whether a secure data center could be built in the Virgin Islands to handle sensitive government communications. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects telecommunications development in the Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria by exploring improved internet connectivity between these regions and the mainland U.S.

It could benefit residents and businesses in these areas with faster, more reliable internet service and potentially support U.S. national security interests through better secure communications infrastructure. **Current Status** The bill has passed the House of Representatives. It does not authorize any spending or construction—it only requires a feasibility study and report to be submitted to Congress, which would inform future decisions about whether such a cable project is worth pursuing.