Chairman Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL), who represents Florida’s 28th district in the U.S. Congress, led a joint hearing with Chairman Andy Ogles (R-TN) to address threats posed by foreign adversaries to subsea cables. The hearing was held by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security and the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.
Gimenez highlighted the importance of subsea cables for global communications and national security, stating, “Subsea cables are crucial to the global economy, our national security, and communications across the world. Yet our adversaries like Communist China and Russia are working to exploit our vulnerabilities and undermine this critical infrastructure.” He added, “It’s essential that Congress examines the protections that are needed across both the public and private sectors to safeguard subsea cable operations from nefarious actors who wish to do us harm.”
In his opening statement, Gimenez emphasized that submarine telecommunications cables form a complex network enabling rapid data flow worldwide. He noted that these cables carry more than 99 percent of intercontinental communications and support both global commerce and U.S. defense operations.
Gimenez warned about threats from Russia and China: “These adversaries will stop at nothing to track, control, and exploit vulnerabilities in our subsea cable networks to advance their economic, technological, and strategic goals.” He specifically pointed out China’s efforts through state-backed companies using coercive tactics in pursuit of dominance over subsea cable systems.
He stressed that failure by Congress to act could result in authoritarian adversaries gaining access to critical data flows affecting markets, alliances, and national defense. Gimenez called for leadership from the United States in securing this infrastructure: “Today’s discussion will focus on how the United States must lead—not follow—in securing this critical infrastructure.”
The hearing included expert witnesses discussing evolving threats against subsea cables as well as potential roles for federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security in protecting these assets.
Carlos Giménez has served in Congress since 2021 after replacing Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Before his congressional service, he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives and served on the Miami-Dade County Commission between 2005 and 2011. Born in Havana in 1954, Giménez currently resides in Miami.
