Sponsors (3)
The bill modestly funds university and lab-based AI cyber-physical testbeds and strengthens congressional oversight to improve defenses, at the cost of new federal spending and potential exclusion of private firms and uneven regional benefit distribution.
Researchers at universities and national labs receive $100 million (FY2026–FY2030) to build secure AI cyber-physical testbeds, improving defenses against grid-scale cyberattacks.
Taxpayers and policymakers gain better situational awareness and oversight through required annual reports to Congress through 2031 on evolving AI-related threats and mitigation progress.
Colleges (including consortia and Hispanic-serving institutions) are encouraged to collaborate, broadening participation in cyber-physical security research and helping develop a more diverse workforce.
Taxpayers face up to $100 million in new federal spending over five years to fund the grant program.
Narrow eligibility (limited to colleges, national labs, and consortia) may exclude private-sector cyber firms, risking slower commercialization and broader deployment of defenses.
Concentrated federal grant awards could produce uneven regional benefits, leaving rural communities and smaller utilities less served if nearby institutions are less competitive.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs DHS/CISA to create a grant program and authorizes $100M (FY2026–FY2030) to build secure AI cyber-physical grid testbeds and requires annual reports to Congress through 2031.
Official title: To establish a grant program to provide awards to National Laboratories and institutions of higher education to develop secure artificial intelligence (AI) cyber-physical testbeds to simulate grid-scale cyberattacks, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Pablo José Hernández · Last progress February 25, 2026
Creates a DHS/CISA grant program to fund development of secure AI-enabled cyber-physical testbeds that simulate grid-scale cyberattacks and safely train AI defenses. The bill authorizes $100 million for FY2026–FY2030, requires the program to be established within 180 days of enactment, and mandates annual reports to Congress on threats, mitigation progress, and policy recommendations through 2031.