HR 7996 Introduced – Linemen Legacy Act

 Last month, Rep Higgins (R,LA) introduced HR 7996, the Linemen Legacy Act. The bill would amend 6 USC 101(6) to add ‘utility line technicians’ to the definition of the term ‘emergency response providers’ as that term is used in 6 USC Chapter 1, Homeland Security Organization. No new funding is authorized by this bill. 

HR 7996 essentially identical to HR 7610, the Linemen Legacy Act, that was introduced by Higgens in March of 2024. No action was taken on that bill in the 118th Congress. 

The legislation adds the new category to the definition when the technicians are “responding to a major disaster or an emergency declared by the President”. This change means that everwhere the term ‘emergency response providers’ is mentioned in Chapter 1 it would include such responding utility line technicians. It does not look like this would include any federal renumeration being provided to such personnel, but this definition may be utilized by reference in other US Code sections and federal regulations. 

Bills Introduced – 7-13-20

Yesterday with both the House and Senate meeting in pro forma session there were 39 bills introduced. Of those six may receive additional coverage in this blog:

HR 7588 To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to of the ability of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security to fulfill its current mission requirements, and for other purposes. Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24] 

HR 7589 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish term limits for the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes. Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]

HR 7590 To establish in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security a pilot program for the purpose of carrying out a talent exchange program between the private sector and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and for other purposes. Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]

HR 7608 Making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes. Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-17]

HR 7609 Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes.  Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] 

HR 7610 Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes. Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]

I will be watching the spending bills for cybersecurity provisions so I do not really expect that the first two will be seen again in this blog.

I doubt that the three CISA bills will have any specific language or definitions that will specifically apply to control system security, but CISA is so important to the cybersecurity community that I will probably cover these bills anyway.