LINK Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4453
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-29T15:47:49Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to mandate coordination between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to make their information technology, cybersecurity, and information security systems interoperable. This would enable secure sharing of data on specific operational activities while excluding sensitive or proprietary information.
Key Provisions
- Coordination Requirements: The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must work together to ensure systems allow sharing of information on federal land management (with focus on wildfire operations), disaster and emergency preparedness/response, and related business activities like procurement and workforce management.
- Data Protections: Sharing excludes Tribal proprietary data, sensitive cave location data, or other sensitive information as designated by law; the agencies must consult with Indian Tribes and uphold Tribal data sovereignty.
- Implementation Plan: A joint interoperability plan must be developed promptly, including phased retirement of outdated legacy systems without reducing operational capacity or safety, with full implementation required within one year of enactment.
- System Updates: USDA must update its systems as needed to support the data sharing, in line with the plan.
- Legal Compliance: All actions must follow existing federal laws on information technology and security systems.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a specific requirement for interoperability between USDA and DOI systems, going beyond general federal IT guidelines by setting timelines and mandates for coordination on land management and emergency activities.
- Adds explicit provisions for Tribal consultation and data protections not previously required in this context.
- Requires a phased approach to retiring siloed legacy systems, with safeguards against operational disruptions.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: USDA and DOI may experience improved data sharing, potentially enhancing efficiency in wildfire response, disaster management, and administrative functions, though initial costs for system updates could arise.
- Citizens: Indirect benefits could include better-coordinated emergency responses affecting public safety in rural or federal land areas.
- International Relations: No direct impacts specified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders
- Primary Agencies: USDA and DOI, responsible for system coordination and updates.
- Tribal Entities: Indian Tribes, involved through consultation and data protection measures.
- Operational Personnel: Firefighters and other field staff, consulted during plan development.
- Oversight Bodies: Congress and relevant committees, through introduction and referral processes.
Notable Implications
- Legal: Reinforces compliance with established federal IT laws (such as those in titles 40 and 44 of the U.S. Code) while adding targeted interoperability rules, with potential for future regulations on data handling.
- Constitutional/Political: Emphasizes protections for Tribal data sovereignty, aligning with principles of tribal self-governance and potentially strengthening federal-tribal relations without raising apparent conflicts with constitutional authority over federal lands.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-04-30: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- USDA–DOI Linking Information Networks for Knowledge-sharing Act — issued 2026-04-30 — PDF (5 pages)