This bill adds cybersecurity technical assistance to the Department of Agriculture's national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program. The assistance is for rural water systems that serve fewer than 10,000 persons. The help must include assessments of how well a system protects against cyber threats and support to implement cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies.
The bill also changes the program funding amounts. It replaces a prior figure of $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019–2023 with $32,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026–2030. Of the new annual amount, $7,500,000 each year must be used to provide the cybersecurity technical assistance described above.
If you live in or operate a rural water or wastewater system that serves fewer than 10,000 people, your system could receive federal help to check its cyber defenses and to put plans, procedures, or technologies in place to better protect against cyber threats. The bill directs that the circuit rider program provide that assistance. If you are not served by such a system, the bill text does not create a direct change for you.
The bill sets program funding at $32,500,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030. It specifies that $7,500,000 of that amount each year be used for cybersecurity technical assistance. The bill text shows a prior authorization level of $25,000,000 for each fiscal year 2019 through 2023 and replaces it with the new amounts above. No publicly available information on broader cost estimates, administrative costs, or long-term spending beyond these figures.
No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata about proponents' statements, detailed goals, or supporting arguments.
No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata about opponents' statements or objections.