S 1549 Introduced – Water Cybersecurity Grants

Back in May, Sen Gallego (D,AZ) introduced S 1549, the Water Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2025. The bill would amend 42 U.S.C. 300i–2(g) to rewrite subparagraph (F) to add protecting from and responding to cyberattacks as acceptable uses grants under the Technical Assistance and Grant program. It would also extend the authorization for that grant program through 2031. No change was made to the $25 million per year authorization for that grant program.

This bill is nearly identical to HR 10483, the Water Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, that was introduced by then Rep Gallego in December of 2024. No action was taken on that bill in the 118^th Congress.

Moving Forward

Gallego is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to which the bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there could be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in Committee. With no new funding provided, I see nothing in the bill that would engender any organized opposition to the bill. I suspect that the bill would receive bipartisan support in Committee. Unfortunately, the bill is not politically important enough to be considered by the full Senate under regular order. The best hope for consideration would be to included in some larger bill that would receive Senate attention.