The U.S. House of Representatives this week approved the DiasporaLink Act (H.R. 1737), a bipartisan bill introduced by Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) and Congressman Russ Fulcher (R-ID), which aims to assess the feasibility of constructing a Trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the U.S. East Coast to Ghana and Nigeria via the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Passed by voice vote, the legislation lays the groundwork for a high-speed digital infrastructure that Plaskett calls a “Digital Safe Harbor” for transcontinental data flow. The proposed cable would not only bridge a major connectivity gap between the United States and Africa but also position the Virgin Islands as a strategic hub in the global digital economy.
“There is currently no direct fiber optic link between the U.S. and the African continent,” Plaskett noted in a statement. “The DiasporaLink Act is a step forward in advancing U.S. national security, economic competitiveness, and digital commerce.”
Plaskett emphasized that placing the cable hub in the U.S. Virgin Islands would reinforce American internet dominance, safeguard data from foreign surveillance, and support the territory’s development. “This is a significant 21st-century paradigm shift,” she said. “Our islands’ strategic location—long used for the benefit of other global powers—can now be used to empower our own people.”
Undersea fiber cables carry 98% of international internet and telephone traffic, much of it managed by U.S. companies. Advocates of the bill argue that expanding this infrastructure with an African link via the Caribbean will enhance regional stability, counter transnational crime, and offer clear digital pathways to U.S. financial centers for African and Caribbean providers.
Plaskett expressed gratitude to Fulcher, along with Energy & Commerce Committee leaders Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), for supporting the initiative.
Having cleared the House, the bill now awaits consideration in the Senate. Plaskett’s office is actively working to ensure its passage there, marking another step toward cementing the Virgin Islands as a vital player in global connectivity.
