This bill would add a new program to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act called the rural water and wastewater cybersecurity circuit rider program. The Secretary would create circuit riders to give technical assistance to associations that operate rural water or wastewater systems. Circuit riders would perform rapid assessments of an association's ability to respond to cybersecurity threats and to protect its cyberinfrastructure and public health. They would help develop reasonable cybersecurity protocols, assist where protection plans are inadequate, and document the state of cyber protection for water supplies. Circuit riders must report to the Secretary on the associations served and the activities performed. The Secretary must require that circuit riders have the necessary experience and certification. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029. The program is to be structured similarly to an existing circuit rider program in current law.
If you operate a rural water or wastewater system, the bill would make technical cybersecurity help available through circuit riders. Circuit riders would need required experience and certification set by the Secretary. No publicly available information on how many systems will be served, how quickly assistance will be provided, or exact selection processes.
The bill authorizes $10,000,000 to be appropriated for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029 to carry out the program. No publicly available information on total program cost beyond those annual authorizations, administrative costs, or funding offsets.
No publicly available information in the bill text about proponents’ statements or arguments. Sponsors listed in the bill metadata are Catherine Cortez Masto and Mike Rounds.
No publicly available information in the bill text about opposition or critiques.