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119-s-5360119th CongressWALLET

Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act

Sponsored By: Senator McCormick, David [R-PA]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would codify and expand a federal program to provide _advanced cybersecurity support for rural, municipal, and small electric utilities_, funding technical assistance, grants, prizes, and protected information-sharing to help defend the grid against cyber threats.

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  • Rural electric cooperatives, municipally owned utilities, small investor-owned utilities under 4,000,000 MWh, and not-for-profits partnering with at least six eligible utilities would gain clearer eligibility for funding and technical help to detect, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks.
  • The program would allow grants, cooperative agreements, and prizes and would let the Secretary award funds competitively or noncompetitively while prioritizing utilities with limited cybersecurity resources or those that own defense-critical or bulk-power assets.
  • Information shared through the program would get voluntary-shared-information status and applicable Freedom of Information Act protections to encourage participation and threat sharing.

*Authorizes $250.0 million in appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Cybersecurity grants for rural utilities

If enacted, the Department of Energy would run a Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program. The program would give technical help and award money by grants, cooperative agreements, or prizes. Eligible groups would include rural electric cooperatives, municipally owned utilities, utilities owned by State subdivisions or their agencies, certain nonprofit partners (with at least six eligible utilities), and investor-owned utilities that sell under 4,000,000 MWh per year. The Secretary would set rules, may award competitively or noncompetitively, and would prioritize utilities with few cybersecurity resources or critical bulk-power or defense-related assets. The bill would authorize $250 million for the program for fiscal years 2027–2031, but money would be paid only if Congress appropriates it. Information shared under the program with federal, State, Tribal, or local governments would be treated as voluntarily shared and exempt from FOIA and similar disclosure laws.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

McCormick, David [R-PA]

PA • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

  • Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

  • Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

  • Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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