Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act
Sponsored By: Representative Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
In Committee
Summary
Provides advanced cybersecurity support for rural, municipal, and small investor-owned electric utilities. This bill would reauthorize and clarify a grant and technical assistance program to help eligible utilities protect against, detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats.
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- Rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and investor-owned utilities that sell under 4,000,000 megawatt-hours per year would be eligible for grants, cooperative agreements, prizes, and technical assistance to improve cybersecurity.
- Priority for funding and help would go to utilities with limited cybersecurity resources, owners of bulk-power system assets, and operators of defense-critical electric infrastructure.
- Information shared with or by government partners under the program would be treated as voluntarily shared and exempt from public disclosure laws.
*Authorizes $250 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the program, which would increase federal spending if appropriated.*
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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 bill would create the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program. The program would give technical help and award funding — grants, cooperative agreements, and prizes — to eligible utilities. Only certain entities would be eligible: rural electric cooperatives, municipally owned utilities, some nonprofit partnerships, and investor-owned utilities that sell less than 4,000,000 megawatt-hours per year. The Secretary would prioritize utilities with limited cybersecurity resources or those that own critical bulk-power or defense-related electric assets. Information shared under the program would be protected from public disclosure under FOIA and similar State laws. The bill would authorize $250 million to be appropriated for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, subject to available appropriations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
IA • R
Cosponsors
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]
TN • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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