Sponsors (3)
The bill provides modest federal investment and reporting to strengthen AI-focused cyber-physical defenses and broaden academic participation, while imposing new spending and risking slower commercialization and uneven regional coverage due to narrow eligibility.
Universities and national labs will receive grant funding (~$100M total across FY2026–FY2030) to build secure AI cyber-physical testbeds, strengthening defenses against grid-scale cyberattacks.
Taxpayers and policymakers will get required annual reports through 2031 on evolving AI-related threats and mitigation progress, improving government preparedness, oversight, and informed policy decisions.
Colleges (including consortia and Hispanic-serving institutions) will be encouraged to collaborate, broadening participation in cyber-physical security research and workforce development and supporting a more diverse pipeline of cybersecurity talent.
Private-sector cybersecurity firms are largely ineligible for these grants, which could slow commercialization and wider deployment of defensive technologies developed with federal support.
Rural communities and some utilities may receive fewer benefits if grant awards concentrate at already-competitive institutions, creating uneven regional protection and capacity.
Taxpayers will fund up to $100 million in new federal spending over five years to support the program, increasing federal outlays.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a DHS/CISA grant program (FY2026–FY2030) funding AI cyber‑physical testbeds for grid security, authorizes $100M, and requires annual reports through 2031.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Pablo José Hernández · Last progress February 25, 2026
Creates a DHS/CISA grant program to fund secure AI cyber-physical testbeds that simulate large-scale power‑grid cyberattacks and safely train AI models. The program must be set up within 180 days of enactment, run grant awards for FY2026–FY2030, and is authorized $100 million to support eligible higher‑education institutions, national laboratories, and consortia. Requires joint reports to Congress starting one year after enactment and annually through 2031 on evolving threats, progress in AI mitigation, and recommended legislative or regulatory actions. “AI” and eligible entity definitions are provided by reference to existing law.