John Barrasso
Senator for Wyoming · Republican · United States
“201 Ex.] YEAS--50 Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Cornyn Cotton Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott…”
“In 2021, in Ohio, Flowers tried to defend a $250,000 cap on damages for a child sex abuse survivor--a cap the Ohio Supreme Court deemed ``arbitrary and unreasonable.'' Flowers is also on record as saying that a President can simply ignore a court's reasoning when he disagrees with it.”
“They are threatening to stonewall every single appropriations bill again this year. Democrats are trying to avoid a shutdown--so they say. But they are not trying to avoid a shutdown; they are preparing for another one.”
“Democrats voted to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and they voted to defund our Border Patrol. They want wide-open borders. Democrats vote to protect illegal immigrant criminals but don't seem to care about protecting law-abiding American citizens.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S4182] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO ELLA WALLACE Mr. BARRASSO. Mr.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S4182] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO ELLA WALLACE Mr. BARRASSO. Mr.”
The complete record
Every one of 411 lines we hold for John Barrasso, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 9.
“The American people remember his stirring defense of now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh. It was an incredible moment, and his words changed the course of history. Lindsey was a true conservative, and he also believed in working across the aisle. He wanted to tackle our Nation's most pressing challenges, and he knew in many ways you had to do that in a bipartisan way. He believed in the Reagan approach: If you can't get the whole loaf at once, take it a slice at a time. That is how the Senate is supposed to work. Lindsey chaired some of the most powerful committees in this Chamber. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he led the second fastest confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice of all times--Amy Coney Barrett. When this Congress began in 2025, he became the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.”
“His friendship meant the world to me. You know, Lindsey was constantly on the move. He just returned from Ukraine this past weekend. He was scheduled to be on ``Meet the Press'' on Sunday morning in the studio. I think his favorite three places to be were at home in South Carolina, on the golf course with President Trump, and in front of the TV camera for Sunday morning news shows. His greatest strength, of course, was his character. In Congress, people are often divided into show horses and workhorses. Lindsey was both. He was a show horse and a workhorse, and he was the best at both. As President Trump said on Sunday morning, Lindsey was uncommonly hard-working, energetic, and steadfast. When Lindsey believed in something, he fought for it, and no one was more effective.”
“It brought people together. It kept them together. Lindsey and I traveled the world, often to war zones, and when you traveled with Lindsey, you visited a lot of tough places around the world. We visited Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine. We traveled to show our support for the men and women of our military. Lindsey and I got to know each other on those long trips, and we shared a lot of laughs. I will never forget how much fun it was with Lindsey to sing the lyrics of the old television shows, the ones from the fifties, sixties, and early seventies. Some of his favorites--and he knew all the words--were ``Gilligan's Island,'' ``The Beverly Hillbillies,'' ``The Addams Family,'' ``Green Acres,'' ``F Troop,'' and, of course, ``Car 54, Where Are You?'' We would sing together, we would laugh, and these moments will stay with me forever.”
“One year, over New Year's, Lindsey was serving in Afghanistan. I went and met him there, and we went and visited with the troops from my home State of Wyoming and with his troops from South Carolina. He never let anyone forget how proud he was of our servicemembers and of our country. Lindsey's dad ran a bar in South Carolina. Lindsey talked about it often. He used to say it was good training for his life in politics. Lindsey told me that one of the key lessons he learned from his father was this: The key to being a successful bar owner in South Carolina-- probably or anywhere--is you have to be funny enough that people will keep coming back, and you have to be tough enough so people won't take over your business. That was Lindsey Graham. He was the funniest man in the U.S. Senate. His humor was like Super Glue.”
“His life was shaped early on by duty and by love. Tragedy came early. At the age of 21, he lost both of his parents within 15 months. At the time, he began raising his 13-year-old sister Darline. He made sure that she stayed [[Page S3916]] in school and went on to continue her education in college. He was with her all the way. He later adopted her. Lindsey once said that he was most proud of the woman that Darline had become. Now Darline is going to fill her brother's seat right here in the U.S. Senate, and there is nobody better to carry on Lindsey's legacy than his beloved sister. Lindsey was a strong advocate for our military. He joined the Air Force right out of law school, and he served our Nation, in uniform, for 33 years. He remained in the Reserves even while serving in Congress.”
“Mr. President, I rise today to honor my good friend and colleague Lindsey Graham. Our colleague from South Carolina led an impactful life. He leaves an impressive legacy, and he left all of us important lessons for life. The great cause to which Lindsey Graham devoted his life was the United States of America. That is what it was from day one all the way to the end. Lindsey Graham loved America. He believed that our Nation is exceptional, as do so many of us. He believed our Nation was worth fighting for. He believed especially in the American people. He fought for the people of his home State of South Carolina and the people of this great country every single day, and he did it with determination. He always believed that America was a nation that he needed to fight for every day to make us safer and stronger.”
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________”
“Banks). On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 46. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected. [[Page S3919]] The motion was rejected. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader. Motion to Reconsider Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion is entered. ____________________”
“195 Ex.] YEAS--50 Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--46 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Thune Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--4 Fetterman Justice McConnell Padilla The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.”
“4784, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, shall be brought to a close? The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Justice) and the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell). Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) and the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla) are necessarily absent. The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 50, nays 46, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“4784, a original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. John Thune, Roger F. Wicker, Tim Sheehy, Mike Rounds, Jon A. Husted, Steve Daines, Bill Hagerty, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Shelley Moore Capito, Bernie Moreno, Cindy Hyde-Smith, James C. Justice, Jim Banks, John Boozman, Cynthia M. Lummis, John Cornyn, John R. Curtis. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the mandatory quorum call under rule XXII has been waived. The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on the motion to proceed to S.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3918-S3919] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Hyde-Smith). Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: Cloture Motion We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 436, S.”
“He continued to shape it throughout his successful and significant career. He helped make America stronger and safer. I join the entire Senate and his friends and his family in mourning the loss of our dear friend Lindsey Graham. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy). The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.”
“As whip, my job is to count the votes, and I could always count on Lindsey to help when the votes were close. The Senate has taken 135 votes on hostile amendments from the Democrats in the last year and a half. They were trying to undermine the Republican agenda. Thanks to Lindsey's persistence and his help, we did not lose a single one. Lindsey truly was a force of nature here in the Senate. From the cloakroom to the committee room, to the campaign trail, he brimmed with ideas and with energy. That is what makes his passing and the timing of it so tragic. He was at the peak of his influence and impact. He still had so much more to do and to give. The U.S. Senate will never see anyone quite like Lindsey Graham again. He was a happy warrior, he always put service before himself, and he believed in the Senate as an institution.”
“He believed in the Reagan approach: If you can't get the whole loaf at once, take it a slice at a time. That is how the Senate is supposed to work. Lindsey chaired some of the most powerful committees in this Chamber. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he led the second fastest confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice of all times--Amy Coney Barrett. When this Congress began in 2025, he became the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He made clear that he would carry out the agenda that the American people had just voted for in November of 2024. He guided the Senate through some of the toughest battles we have ever had. The Working Families Tax Cut law and the Secure America Act are a direct result of Lindsey Graham's leadership.”
“His greatest strength, of course, was his character. In Congress, people are often divided into show horses and workhorses. Lindsey was both. He was a show horse and a workhorse, and he was the best at both. As President Trump said on Sunday morning, Lindsey was uncommonly hard-working, energetic, and steadfast. When Lindsey believed in something, he fought for it, and no one was more effective. The American people remember his stirring defense of now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh. It was an incredible moment, and his words changed the course of history. Lindsey was a true conservative, and he also believed in working across the aisle. He wanted to tackle our Nation's most pressing challenges, and he knew in many ways you had to do that in a bipartisan way.”
“I will never forget how much fun it was with Lindsey to sing the lyrics of the old television shows, the ones from the fifties, sixties, and early seventies. Some of his favorites--and he knew all the words--were ``Gilligan's Island,'' ``The Beverly Hillbillies,'' ``The Addams Family,'' ``Green Acres,'' ``F Troop,'' and, of course, ``Car 54, Where Are You?'' We would sing together, we would laugh, and these moments will stay with me forever. His friendship meant the world to me. You know, Lindsey was constantly on the move. He just returned from Ukraine this past weekend. He was scheduled to be on ``Meet the Press'' on Sunday morning in the studio. I think his favorite three places to be were at home in South Carolina, on the golf course with President Trump, and in front of the TV camera for Sunday morning news shows.”
“Lindsey told me that one of the key lessons he learned from his father was this: The key to being a successful bar owner in South Carolina-- probably or anywhere--is you have to be funny enough that people will keep coming back, and you have to be tough enough so people won't take over your business. That was Lindsey Graham. He was the funniest man in the U.S. Senate. His humor was like Super Glue. It brought people together. It kept them together. Lindsey and I traveled the world, often to war zones, and when you traveled with Lindsey, you visited a lot of tough places around the world. We visited Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine. We traveled to show our support for the men and women of our military. Lindsey and I got to know each other on those long trips, and we shared a lot of laughs.”
“Senate, and there is nobody better to carry on Lindsey's legacy than his beloved sister. Lindsey was a strong advocate for our military. He joined the Air Force right out of law school, and he served our Nation, in uniform, for 33 years. He remained in the Reserves even while serving in Congress. One year, over New Year's, Lindsey was serving in Afghanistan. I went and met him there, and we went and visited with the troops from my home State of Wyoming and with his troops from South Carolina. He never let anyone forget how proud he was of our servicemembers and of our country. Lindsey's dad ran a bar in South Carolina. Lindsey talked about it often. He used to say it was good training for his life in politics.”
“He believed especially in the American people. He fought for the people of his home State of South Carolina and the people of this great country every single day, and he did it with determination. He always believed that America was a nation that he needed to fight for every day to make us safer and stronger. His life was shaped early on by duty and by love. Tragedy came early. At the age of 21, he lost both of his parents within 15 months. At the time, he began raising his 13-year-old sister Darline. He made sure that she stayed [[Page S3916]] in school and went on to continue her education in college. He was with her all the way. He later adopted her. Lindsey once said that he was most proud of the woman that Darline had become. Now Darline is going to fill her brother's seat right here in the U.S.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3915-S3916] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Remembering Lindsey Graham Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my good friend and colleague Lindsey Graham. Our colleague from South Carolina led an impactful life. He leaves an impressive legacy, and he left all of us important lessons for life. The great cause to which Lindsey Graham devoted his life was the United States of America. That is what it was from day one all the way to the end. Lindsey Graham loved America. He believed that our Nation is exceptional, as do so many of us. He believed our Nation was worth fighting for.”
“34 et seq.; commonly known as the ``Cable Landing Licensing Act'') or related statutes; (4) to create any new requirement that non-Federal entities obtain additional Federal approvals, beyond those already required under existing law, before planning, constructing, operating, maintaining, or repairing critical undersea infrastructure; or (5) to authorize any Federal department or agency to direct, approve, or veto the day-to-day operational decisions of owners or operators of critical undersea infrastructure, including route selection, maintenance scheduling, or other commercial decisions except as expressly provided by other applicable law. ______”
“Nothing in this Act shall be construed-- (1) to confer any new regulatory authority on, or to modify any existing regulatory of, any Federal department or agency with respect to owners and operators of critical undersea infrastructure, to authorize the provision of subsidies to critical undersea infrastructure, or to alter the responsibility of the private sector for the deployment, operation, maintenance, security, and repair of critical undersea infrastructure; (2) to involuntarily require non-Federal entities to share proprietary or confidential business information with the United States Government; (3) to alter existing statutory authorities or criteria governing communications services, or the licensing permitting, or authorization of submarine cable landings, spectrum, or domestic communications regulation, including any requirements under the Act of May 27, 1921 (47 U.S.C.”
“(c) Submittal to Congress.--The Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the members of the interagency committee, shall-- (1) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the appropriate congressional committees the procedures required under subsection (b); and (2) not later than one year after submitting such procedures, and annually thereafter for 5 years, submit to Congress a report on the implementation and execution of information sharing with non-Federal entities in the previous year pursuant to subsection (a). PART IV--LIMITATIONS AND RULE OF CONSTRUCTION SEC. __1. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.”
“(b) Development of Procedures.--The procedures developed in accordance with this section shall-- (1) ensure the Federal departments and agencies that are members of the interagency committee have and maintain the capacity to identify and inform in near real time information regarding subsea communications infrastructure sabotage and indications of potential subsea communications infrastructure sabotage to other appropriate Federal agencies or non-Federal entities consistent with the protection of classified information; (2) incorporate, whenever possible, existing processes, roles, and responsibilities of members of the interagency committee and non-Federal entities for information sharing, including subsea communications infrastructure-specific information sharing and analysis entities; and (3) require members of the interagency committee and other appropriate Federal agencies which are sharing subsea communications infrastructure sabotage indicators or defensive measures to employ any applicable security controls to defend against unauthorized access to or acquisition of such information.”
“(a) Public-private Sector Information Sharing.--Consistent with the necessary protections of classified information, the sourcing of relevant intelligence material, and privacy and civil liberties, all appropriate Federal agencies shall, in direct coordination with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and, as appropriate, with intelligence sharing partnerships with trusted allies, issue procedures-- (1) to enable the timely sharing of classified information regarding subsea communications infrastructure sabotage, any indications of potential sabotage, and other threats to subsea communications infrastructure with non-Federal entities that possess the necessary security clearances; (2) to facilitate the timely sharing between members of the interagency committee and non-Federal entities of information related to subsea communications infrastructure sabotage, information relating to indications of potential sabotage, or other threats when such information can be declassified and shared at an unclassified level; (3) to promote the timely sharing by members of the interagency committee to non-Federal entities, and the voluntary, cooperative sharing by non-Federal entities to members of the interagency committee, of unclassified, including controlled unclassified, information regarding subsea communications infrastructure sabotage, indications of potential sabotage, and other threats to subsea communications infrastructure; and (4) to support the prevention or mitigation of adverse effects from sabotage or other threats to subsea communications infrastructure through the timely sharing by members of the interagency committee to non-Federal entities, and the voluntary cooperative sharing by non-Federal entities to members of the interagency committee, when and if appropriate, of information relating to indications of potential subsea communications infrastructure sabotage.”
“(2) A detailed plan for how the interagency committee will advance the objectives outlined in subsection (b). SEC. __2. STRENGTHENING INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS ON SUBSEA COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.”
“(2) Strategy elements.--The strategies required under paragraph (1) shall include-- (A) resourcing requirements to carry out the activities described in paragraph (1); (B) coordination with United States allies and partners and relevant subsea communications infrastructure industry stakeholders; and [[Page S3840]] (C) the necessary technical expertise within the Federal Government to contribute to the analysis of subsea communications infrastructure sabotage. (e) Report.--Not later than 30 days after establishing the required interagency committee under subsection (b), the President shall submit to Congress a report that includes the following elements: (1) Any resources required to sufficiently staff the interagency committee and United States Federal agencies overseeing the objectives outlined in subsection (b).”
“(d) Analysis of Subsea Communications Infrastructure Sabotage.-- (1) In general.--The President shall direct the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies to develop strategies to coordinate closely within the interagency process and, on a voluntary basis, with subsea communications industry stakeholders to review sabotage and other threats to subsea communications infrastructure, including where appropriate and consistent with applicable law and voluntary information- sharing arrangements, by leveraging analysis from aggregated industry data, to-- (A) identify trends; (B) refine attributions, particularly in cases of subsea communications infrastructure sabotage; (C) identify geographic areas where subsea communications infrastructure may face elevated risk; (D) identify Federal Government functions and private sector engagement methods that can support, rather than direct, the security of subsea communications infrastructure; and (E) inform future risk mitigation efforts by Federal departments and agencies to support industry-led measures to reduce damage to subsea communications infrastructure.”
“(c) Coordination.--The President shall direct the interagency committee to conduct an overview of the United States Federal Government's operational authorities for subsea communications security and resilience. The overview shall include an interagency concept of operations describing how Federal departments and agencies will coordinate with one another and, on a voluntary basis, partner with non-Federal entities, including subsea communications owners and operators, to support the security and repair of subsea communications infrastructure in a variety of crisis scenarios.”
“(b) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency committee (referred to in this subtitle as the ``interagency committee'') comprised of the heads, or their designees, of the appropriate Federal agencies and departments, to coordinate the United States Government efforts to-- (1) promote awareness of and support for the protection and resilience of subsea communications infrastructure; (2) facilitate voluntary collaboration and information sharing with relevant non-Federal entities, including relevant members of the subsea communications infrastructure industry, to identify and address shared challenges to subsea communications infrastructure security and resilience; (3) coordinate United States Government policies related to subsea communications infrastructure security and resilience; and (4) address other matters related to subsea communications infrastructure deemed appropriate and necessary by the President.”
“(3) In order to ensure United States agencies and departments appropriately account for the risks to subsea communications infrastructure and provide timely and coordinated support when warranted, the United States Government should improve interagency coordination and share risk assessments and best practices with the subsea communications infrastructure industry, while respecting the industry's primary responsibility for security risk mitigation, investment, and operational decision-making.”
“(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings: (1) There is no single agency where subsea cable owners and operators can engage the United States Government on security and resilience, including to seek coordinated assistance in identifying and addressing shared risks to subsea communications infrastructure. (2) United States Federal Government responsibilities for the protection of subsea communications infrastructure, damage reporting, information and intelligence sharing, and emergency response are spread across multiple departments and agencies.”
“(d) International Cooperation on Critical Undersea Infrastructure Sabotage.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on how the United States Government plans to prioritize diplomatic engagement within relevant international bodies to encourage and facilitate appropriate information sharing between allied and partner governments and relevant private sector companies regarding threats to, and the sabotage of, critical undersea infrastructure. PART III--INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON SUBSEA COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION FROM SABOTAGE SEC. __1. IMPROVING UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT COORDINATION ON PROTECTING SUBSEA COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.”
“(b) Assignment.--The Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy shall ensure that personnel assigned to oversee critical undersea infrastructure are provided sufficient time, resources, and ability to carry out those responsibilities effectively, including, as appropriate, by prohibiting dual-hatting arrangement that could dilute the Department's expertise. (c) Notification.--Not later than 15 days after fulfilling the expertise requirement in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall notify the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.”
“PART II--DEPARTMENT OF STATE CRITICAL UNDERSEA INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERTISE SEC. __1. EXPANDING CRITICAL UNDERSEA INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED EXPERTISE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall ensure that the Department of State has adequate expertise to support the Department of State's diplomatic and interagency engagement on matters related to critical undersea infrastructure, including-- (1) promoting the protection and resilience of critical undersea infrastructure through international cooperation; (2) coordinating with United States allies and partners on foreign policy and security aspects of critical undersea infrastructure; and (3) representing United States interests and engagement in international bodies that address critical undersea infrastructure.”
“(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the next 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that outlines efforts by the United States Government in the prior calendar year to work with international allies and partners to strengthen the security and resilience of critical undersea infrastructure, including-- (1) a list of current foreign policies, laws, or regulatory practices that may create barriers or constrain the ability of critical undersea infrastructure operators to install, maintain, repair, and protect critical undersea infrastructure and any steps taken through dialogue with allies and partners to address such challenges; and (2) a description of the progress made in the previous calendar year as a result of United States diplomatic engagement with allies and partners on these issues.”
“(b) Commitment of Personnel and Resources.--The Secretary of State shall devote sufficient personnel and resources towards-- (1) engaging with foreign countries, in coordination with other relevant Federal agencies and private industry, to promote international cooperation on the security and resilience of critical undersea infrastructure, including by helping address regulatory and diplomatic obstacles that may affect the timely deployment and protection by operators; and (2) working with allies and partners to improve collective preparedness and response times in the event of sabotage affecting critical undersea infrastructure, including, as appropriate, by supporting international coordination mechanisms that facilitate the timely deployment of cable repair and support vessels.”
“(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) as international critical undersea infrastructure expands, the complexity of the deployment and protection of subsea cables is increasing, which can create operational and security vulnerabilities that, if exploited, may have national security implications for the United States and foreign partners; (2) the United States, together with its allies and partners, is well positioned to offer technical, material, and other forms of support to international partners to enhance the resilience of international critical undersea infrastructure; (3) the United States Government should enhance its diplomatic engagement with trusted allies to support foreign governments and private industry efforts to improve the timely and effective deployment and protection of critical undersea infrastructure; and (4) given the importance of critical undersea infrastructure to United States and allied energy security and prosperity, adversaries are increasingly prioritizing capabilities designed to target United States and allied subsea energy infrastructure.”
“Subsequent reports required by subsection (a) shall cover the previous calendar year for the reporting period. (c) Classification.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. SEC. __6. ENGAGING FOREIGN PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN THE SECURITY OF CRITICAL UNDERSEA INFRASTRUCTURE.”
“(5) A list of instances during the previous calendar year in which the United States, or allies and partners of the United States, documented anomalous behavior from vessels, either flagged, crewed, or operated by the [[Page S3839]] PRC or Russia, around critical undersea infrastructure, including-- (A) any official United States Government response to counter the anomalous behavior; and (B) any coordinated diplomatic action with allies and partners. (6) An assessment of the extent to which PRC-based entities are involved in laying, maintaining, and repairing United States-invested cables. (b) Initial and Subsequent Reports.--The initial report required under subsection (a) shall cover the period between January 1, 2022, through the date of the enactment of this Act.”
“(4) An assessment of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the PRC on sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure, including-- (A) any current or planned operational coordination against United States or allied and partner nation targets; (B) any joint research, development, testing, or evaluation of critical undersea infrastructure sabotage or seabed warfare capabilities; (C) any technology transfers or joint training related to critical undersea infrastructure surveillance, sabotage, or seabed warfare; and (D) any coordination in procurement of advanced technologies related to critical undersea infrastructure sabotage, seabed warfare, or circumvention of sanctions against the Russian Federation.”
“(3) An analysis of the missions, capabilities, and activities of the People's Liberation Army, the PRC Coast Guard, the China Ship Scientific Research Center, HMN Technologies, and other PRC-based entities, including unmarked or dual-use maritime militia or commercial vessels related to monitoring and sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure, including-- (A) a description of recent capability developments related to sabotaging critical undersea infrastructure, including for both deep-sea and littoral purposes; and (B) a description of the PRC's use of ostensibly civilian fishing, merchant, and research vessels for sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure, including in the Indo- Pacific, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere.”
“(2) An analysis of the mission, capabilities, and activities of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including-- (A) a description of GUGI's use of ostensibly civilian research vessels to conduct critical undersea infrastructure seabed warfare, and potential sabotage; (B) an assessment of the impact of sanctions on the ability of GUGI to procure advanced technologies and equipment, as well as its efforts to circumvent those sanctions; and (C) a list of suspected GUGI research or scientific vessels, including vessel names and International Maritime Organization and Maritime Mobile Service Identity numbers, and related equipment that are suspected of engaging in dual- use operations and probing of critical undersea infrastructure.”
“REPORT ON ACTIVITIES BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. (a) Report.--To ensure appropriate deterrence, escalation management, and responses related to critical undersea infrastructure, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes the following: (1) A description, with respect to the applicable reporting period, of the subsea cable manufacturing, installation, and maintenance capabilities of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Russian Federation.”
“(6) United states person.--The term ``United States person'' means-- (A) any United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States; (B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including any foreign branch of such an entity; or (C) any person in the United States. (f) National Security Interests Waiver.--The President may waive the application of sanctions under this section if, before issuing the waiver, the President submits to the appropriate congressional committees-- (1) a certification in writing that the issuance of the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States; and (2) a report, including an optional classified annex, explaining the basis for the certification. SEC. __5.”
“(e) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Admission; admitted; alien.--The terms ``admission'', ``admitted'', and ``alien'' have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101). (2) Agricultural commodity.--The term ``agricultural commodity'' has the meaning given that term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602). (3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means an individual or entity that is not a United States person. (4) Medicine.--The term ``medicine'' has the meaning given the term ``drug'' in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321). (5) Medical device.--The term ``medical device'' has the meaning given the term ``device'' in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).”
“(4) Exception for humanitarian assistance.--Sanctions under this section shall not apply to-- (A) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, medical devices, or humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian purposes; or (B) transactions that are necessary for or related to the activities described in subparagraph (A). (5) Exception for safety of vessels and crew.--Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to a person providing provisions to a vessel otherwise subject to sanctions under this section if such provisions are intended for the safety and care of the crew aboard the vessel, the protection of human life aboard the vessel, or the maintenance of the vessel to avoid any environmental or other significant damage.”
“(2) Exception to comply with intelligence activities.-- Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United States. (3) Exception relating to importation of goods.-- (A) In general.--The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions under this section shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods. (B) Good defined.--In this paragraph, the term ``good'' means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.”
“(d) Exceptions.-- (1) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters agreement and law enforcement activities.--Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien is necessary-- (A) to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations of the United States; or (B) to carry out or assist authorized law enforcement activity in the United States.”