House Passes McClellan Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Rural and Municipal Utilities

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House unanimously passed Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01)’s H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity (RMUC) Act. The bill reauthorizes and strengthens a key program for rural and municipal electric utilities that supports their defensive capabilities against cybersecurity threats to rural energy infrastructure. 

With targeted cyberattacks towards critical infrastructure on the rise, the bill secures access to a range of cybersecurity tools, forms of technical assistance and grant funding for rural electric cooperatives and small utilities. These modes of additional support work to protect, detect, respond to and recover from cyber threats. 

“I am thrilled at the House’s passage of the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act today,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “As lawmakers, we must continue to adapt to both the rapidly evolving technological landscape and the growing cybersecurity threats that come along with it. This bill will provide an additional, necessary layer of security for the electric utilities that work to power our rural communities every single day. I thank Congresswoman Miller-Meeks for her joint leadership and my colleagues for their endorsement of this critical piece of cybersecurity legislation. I urge the Senate to pass this bill so that we can continue the important work of strengthening our rural and municipal electrical infrastructure as soon as possible.”

Specifically, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act would:

• Reauthorizes the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program, originally created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and authorizes $250 million over five years to support deployment of advanced cybersecurity technologies and participation in information-sharing programs.
• Grants the Department of Energy broader authority to provide technical assistance to rural localities and municipal utilities regarding cybersecurity best practices.

Following House passage, the Senate must now consider its own version of the bill for passage. You can watch Rep. McClellan’s remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 7266 here. Read the bill text here.