Congress funds free cybersecurity for under-resourced state and local governments

What it does

This bill restores federal funding for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), a cybersecurity threat-intelligence network serving state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. It requires the MS-ISAC to offer free core cybersecurity services to all SLTT entities that apply, prioritize outreach to under-resourced governments, and coordinate with federal agencies. The bill appropriates $50 million annually starting in 2027.

Why we flagged it

The bill is a straightforward appropriation and mandate to restore federal funding for a shared cybersecurity threat-intelligence service serving state and local governments. It is a public-sector capacity-building measure, not a corporate subsidy or deregulation.

What the text implies

• The bill's requirement for 'no-cost membership' may shift the MS-ISAC's business model away from fee-based revenue, potentially affecting the operator's financial sustainability if federal funding does not fully compensate for lost membership fees.
• Mandatory interoperability and data-sharing with FBI and CISA may increase federal visibility into state and local cyber incidents, raising questions about data governance and privacy safeguards not addressed in the bill text.
• The 60-day planning requirement and annual reporting obligations create ongoing administrative burden on CISA and the MS-ISAC operator, with no explicit funding for those administrative costs beyond the $50M appropriation.

Who it affects

Ordinary citizens benefit from stronger cybersecurity defenses at the state and local level, where critical services (voting systems, utilities, emergency response) operate. Free access to threat intelligence and incident response support reduces the risk of costly breaches affecting public services and personal data. Under-resourced governments gain capacity they could not otherwise afford.

Who stands to gain

• MS-ISAC operator (likely a nonprofit or contractor receiving federal cooperative agreement)
• Cybersecurity service providers contracted by MS-ISAC
• Technology vendors supplying threat-intelligence platforms and incident-response tools

Named in the bill

Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), SLTT entities (state, local, tribal, territorial governments), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Section 2209, Section 2240

Where it stands

• Jun 8, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Jun 8, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

1 lobbying clients named this bill on 1 disclosure filings across 1 quarter, Jun 2026 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $3,190,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 33 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 0% of bills with at least one filing.

Mark Warner, the sponsor, reported $2,246,650 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Ncta - the Internet & Television Association — $3,190,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.