NEPTUNE Act

The NEPTUNE Act allows the U.S. Navy to contract for up to two new submarine cable laying and repair ships to maintain undersea telecommunications infrastructure. It requires the Navy to keep the existing USNS Zeus operational until a replacement ship with equal or better capabilities achieves full operational status. The bill limits the Navy’s financial liability for contract termination and ties payments to available funding. This directly affects Navy procurement and operations related to protecting critical undersea internet and communication cables. The legislation focuses on maintaining continuity of these essential infrastructure assets.