Press Releases

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland

July 27, 2023                                                    340-201-6453

PRESS RELEASE

PLASKETT’S DIASPORA LINK LEGISLATION RECEIVES UNANIMOUS SUPPORT IN HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSAGE

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett shared the following statement on the progress of H.R. 3385, the DiasporaLink Act, through the House Energy & Commerce Committee:

“I am tremendously pleased that my legislation progressed through the House Energy & Commerce Committee, passing with unanimous bipartisan support. The bill will establish a feasibility study on the development of a Trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable which will connect the east coast of the United States, via the United Stated Virgin Islands with Nigeria and Ghana, further establishing the United Stated Virgin Islands as a global telecommunications hub.  I am grateful for the vision of the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (viNGN) in developing this idea through the work of Stephan Adams, the CEO and his incredible team.  We believe that the economic, defensive, communication, and national security interests, along with other factors that will be evident in a feasibility study will lead to the next step, which is appropriation of funds by the federal government for building the fiber optic cable between the three crucial points. 

“Presently, there is no direct fiber optic link between the U.S. and the continent of Africa. Africa is increasingly an area that presents dynamic economic opportunity for our country as well as national security challenges that must be addressed.  U.S. reliance on other foreign and commercial entities to connect to Africa is a compromising position for the United States.  The Trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable network’s strategic location makes DiasporaLink a “Digital Safe Harbor” under the U.S. flag.  This service, if achieved, will provide African and Caribbean submarine operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) a clear channel to U.S. financial and business centers. The DiasporaLink Act, if enacted will provide a strong medium via a feasibility study, which could clear the path for establishing this Digital Safe Harbor in our territory.

“Furthermore, having the hub in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a significant 21^stcentury paradigm shift; it allows our islands’ advantages, many of which have been used for the benefit of other world powers (i.e. the VI’s geostrategic location), to be utilized for the benefit of our people.  DiasporaLink in the USVI will facilitate our islands as a hub for commerce in the global digital economy and will stimulate high tech job opportunities for Virgin Islanders and attract digital users to the territory.  While Virgin Islanders have long recognized the importance of GlobalCrossing, which some time ago used St. Croix as a point to bury its undersea cable between South and North America, that is a private cable which has been sold several times and is now owned by Lumen.  What is not well known is that all cables (undersea or above ground) have a fixed lifespan; all cables connected in St Croix are near or past their end of life.  Having such a link developed and maintained by the federal government creates a tremendous level of certainty for companies coming to the Virgin Islands to take advantage of such a linkage.

“I would like to thank Energy & Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone of the great state of New Jersey, Republican Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and my colleagues on the Energy & Commerce Committee for their support. I especially thank Congressman Russ Fulcher (Republican – Idaho) for recognizing the pressing need for this legislation and for working with me in a profoundly bipartisan way to move it forward. 

“This legislation will now be sent to the House floor for a full vote, then if passed in the House, will head to the Senate, and if passed there, sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.”

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