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.
What changed between versions
The short title 'DiasporaLink Act' was removed entirely, replacing it with a generic descriptive title: 'Assessment of trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable.'
An explicit national security purpose was added: the assessment is now framed as being 'to enhance the national security of the United States.'
Report element (6) was changed from 'potential digital sovereignty opportunities' to 'potential connectivity opportunities to maximize investments in the United States economy,' shifting the framing from sovereignty to economic investment.
Report element (7) was expanded to specifically name communications of U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, in addition to general national security communications, for the proposed USVI data center.
A new report element (8) was added requiring an assessment of 'the state of submarine fiber optic cables connected to United States telecommunications infrastructure,' broadening the scope beyond just the trans-Atlantic cable.
The responsible official changed from the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to the Secretary of Commerce (acting through the Assistant Secretary), elevating the level of authority accountable for the report.
A new subsection (c) prohibits the Secretary from requiring any entity to provide data for purposes of preparing the report, limiting the government's ability to compel information from private parties.
The definition of 'Assistant Secretary' was removed and replaced with a definition of 'Secretary' meaning the Secretary of Commerce acting through the Assistant Secretary, clarifying the chain of authority.
