WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today requested that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper provide Congress with additional information regarding Russian threats to undersea cables that carry global Internet communications. Wicker serves as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee and Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet.

“Secure and reliable Internet communications are critical to U.S. national security and global commerce,” Wicker said. “As such, I am gravely concerned about Russia’s capability and willingness to attack undersea cables during times of tension or conflict. Congress has a responsibility to conduct rigorous oversight of these threats as well as help the Administration develop an appropriate response.”

On October 25, the New York Times published an article about the threat posed by Russian submarines and spy ships that are aggressively operating near vital communications cables.