Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4699
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-29T16:18:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to restore federal funding and support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). It seeks to provide no-cost cybersecurity services, threat intelligence, and technical assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) entities.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 2209 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by adding a new subsection requiring the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to enter into a cooperative agreement with the MS-ISAC operator.
- Mandates that the agreement ensure no-cost membership and access to core services (such as threat intelligence products and incident response) for all applying SLTT entities.
- Requires prioritization of outreach to under-resourced SLTT entities and those previously identified as covered entities under related law.
- Directs development of a plan within 60 days to identify and re-enroll former members, retain current fee-based members, and recruit new participants facing elevated cyber risks.
- Requires annual reports on membership, activities, incidents, and outreach effectiveness.
- Appropriates $50,000,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2027, available until expended.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces mandatory federal support and funding restoration for MS-ISAC through a new subsection (t) in the Homeland Security Act.
- Shifts from a potential fee-based model to guaranteed no-cost access for SLTT entities.
- Adds specific planning, outreach, and reporting requirements not previously detailed in this section.
Potential Impacts
- Enhances cybersecurity capacity for SLTT governments and critical infrastructure operators by expanding access to shared resources and federal coordination.
- Increases CISA's role in managing cooperative agreements and outreach efforts.
- May improve national cyber threat intelligence sharing between SLTT entities and federal agencies.
- Could reduce financial barriers for smaller or resource-limited jurisdictions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- SLTT entities and owners/operators of critical infrastructure.
- The MS-ISAC operator.
- CISA and the Department of Homeland Security.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal agencies involved in cyber threat intelligence.
- Congressional committees overseeing homeland security.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Establishes ongoing annual appropriations tied to specific cybersecurity activities.
- Reinforces federal-state partnerships in cybersecurity without altering core constitutional authorities.
- Focuses on capacity-building for under-resourced entities, potentially addressing equity in national security resources.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2026-06-08: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act — issued 2026-06-08 — PDF (7 pages)