Overview
Title
To include cybersecurity technical assistance in the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program of Department of Agriculture.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 2109 is a plan to help small towns make their water systems safer from computer hackers by giving them more money and advice about how to protect themselves. It sets aside $32.5 million each year, with $7.5 million just for this special computer safety help.
Summary AI
H.R. 2109 is a bill aimed at improving cybersecurity in rural water systems. It proposes changes to the existing national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program by including cybersecurity technical assistance for systems serving fewer than 10,000 people. The bill mandates assessing and enhancing protection against cyber threats and sets funding at $32.5 million annually from 2026 to 2030, with $7.5 million specifically earmarked for cybersecurity assistance each year.
Published
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Bill Statistics
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
H.R. 2109, titled the "Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act," seeks to integrate cybersecurity technical assistance into the existing national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program managed by the Department of Agriculture. The program is specifically targeted at rural water systems serving towns with fewer than 10,000 residents. This legislative effort is aimed at assessing system vulnerabilities to cyber threats and implementing protective cybersecurity measures. To support this initiative, the bill proposes increasing the program's funding to $32.5 million annually from 2026 to 2030, including a dedicated $7.5 million each year for cybersecurity support.
Summary of Significant Issues
Several significant issues emerge within this bill. First, while it mandates cybersecurity assistance for rural water systems, it lacks specific criteria for selecting which systems will receive help. This could lead to inconsistent or inefficient implementation. Secondly, the proposed increase in funding raises concerns about the necessity and efficiency of an additional $7.5 million each year, which needs clear justification. Additionally, the bill lacks clarity regarding accountability and metrics for evaluating the success of implemented cybersecurity measures. The language about implementing cybersecurity plans is notably broad, potentially complicating consistent application and oversight. Lastly, the absence of explicit definitions for "cyber threats" might result in varied interpretations, hindering effectiveness.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, particularly those residing in rural areas, this bill aims to bolster the security and reliability of water infrastructure against modern cyber threats. Protection against such threats could ensure continuous safe water access, enhancing community resilience and safety. However, ineffective implementation or misallocation of the increased funding could lead to wasted resources without tangible improvements in cybersecurity for the affected water systems.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Rural communities, particularly those with smaller populations, stand to benefit from enhanced cybersecurity measures that protect their water and wastewater systems from cyber attacks. This can provide peace of mind regarding the security of essential services. Conversely, rural water system operators may face challenges if the criteria for selecting systems and the implementation guidelines remain vague.
The Department of Agriculture, tasked with managing the increased budget and implementing these cybersecurity measures, must navigate the complexities of effective allocation and oversight. Failure to do so might invite criticism concerning transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
In summary, while H.R. 2109 could significantly improve cybersecurity for rural utilities, ensuring its successful implementation depends on clear guidelines, specific criteria for selecting systems, and mechanisms for accountability and performance measurement. These elements are critical for addressing the bill's current shortcomings and maximizing its positive impact.
Financial Assessment
Financial Allocations and Spending Overview
H.R. 2109 proposes a financial commitment to enhance cybersecurity for rural water systems. The bill increases the budget of the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program from $25,000,000 to $32,500,000 annually for the fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Of this amount, $7,500,000 each year is earmarked specifically for cybersecurity technical assistance. This financial allocation is intended to help small rural water systems, serving fewer than 10,000 people, to assess and improve their cybersecurity infrastructure.
Related Financial Issues
The increase in the program's budget by $7,500,000 annually raises several questions and concerns. One primary issue is the necessity and efficiency of this substantial increase. It is crucial to examine whether the additional funds are being allocated effectively toward addressing the specific cybersecurity needs of rural water systems. Without clear criteria or a selection process for identifying which systems receive assistance, the increased budget could potentially lead to financial inefficiencies.
Moreover, the bill does not provide detailed mechanisms for accountability in the use of these funds. There is a lack of clarity on how the success of the cybersecurity measures is to be measured or outcomes reported. This could result in ineffective use of the allocated funds if there are not stringent oversight and assessment protocols in place.
Additionally, the language describing the implementation of cybersecurity plans and the definition of "cyber threats" is not specific. This broad and ambiguous wording could lead to inconsistent interpretations and applications of the funds across different rural water systems. For the financial commitment to be effective, clearer guidance and standards are necessary to ensure that the money is spent wisely and reaches the intended outcomes.
These financial references highlight the importance of transparency and clear guidelines in budget allocations for cybersecurity enhancements in rural water systems. Properly addressing these concerns will help ensure that the allocated funds are utilized efficiently and effectively, enhancing cybersecurity where it is most needed.
Issues
The bill introduces a requirement for cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 persons, as stated in Section 2. However, it does not provide specific criteria for selecting these systems for assistance, which might lead to ambiguities and inefficiencies in implementation.
Section 2 of the bill significantly increases the annual budget for the program from $25,000,000 to $32,500,000, raising questions about the necessity and efficiency of the additional $7,500,000, and whether these funds are allocated effectively towards addressing cybersecurity.
There is a lack of clarity on accountability or performance measurement for the cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies that will be implemented, as found in Section 2. This could lead to ineffective use of funds without demonstrating clear outcomes.
The language used to describe the implementation of cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies, as outlined in Section 2, is broad and lacks specificity, which might create challenges in ensuring consistent and effective implementation.
The amendment does not provide explicit definitions or standards for 'cyber threats', potentially leading to inconsistent interpretations, as noted in Section 2. This lack of clarity may hinder the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section of the bill provides the short title as the "Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act," which is how it will be officially referred to.
2. Inclusion of cybersecurity technical assistance in the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to include cybersecurity help for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people, aiming to protect against cyber threats by assessing system efficacy and implementing cybersecurity measures. It also increases funding for the national rural water and wastewater program to $32.5 million annually from 2026 to 2030, with $7.5 million each year dedicated to this cybersecurity assistance.
Money References
- (a) In general.—Section 306(a)(22)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)(A)) is amended— (1) by striking “and” at the end of clause (i); and (2) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii) and inserting after clause (i) the following: “(ii) shall include cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 persons, to— “(I) assess system efficacy in protecting against cyber threats; and “(II) implement cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies to protect against cyber threats; and”. (b) Extension of program.—Section 306(a)(22)(B) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)(B)) is amended by striking “$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023” and inserting “$32,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, of which $7,500,000 for each of the fiscal years shall be used to provide cybersecurity technical assistance in accordance with subparagraph (A)(ii)”.