Warner introduces bill to restore MS-ISAC funding, bolster critical infrastructure cyber defense
Warner introduces bill to restore MS-ISAC funding, bolster critical infrastructure cyber defense
Publish Date: 2026-06-09 14:14:00
Source Domain: industrialcyber.co
As cyber threats against critical infrastructure accelerate and AI (artificial intelligence) lowers the barrier for sophisticated attacks, concerns are growing over the erosion of federal support mechanisms that help state and local governments defend essential services. U.S. Senator Mark Warner is seeking to reverse that trend through new legislation that would restore and permanently fund the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), a key cyber threat intelligence and incident response resource used by approximately 19,000 state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) organizations.
Titled ‘Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act,’ the proposal comes amid warnings that the loss of federal funding weakened information sharing, increased cybersecurity disparities among smaller jurisdictions, and left critical sectors such as energy, water, healthcare, and public services more exposed to emerging cyber risks.
“Critical infrastructure owners, operators, law enforcement, and SLTT leaders are worried; they need CISA back to full strength, and soon. I am working to restore CISA and the federal government’s leadership to protect our critical infrastructure, and I hope you will join me,” Warner wrote in a media statement.
He added, “I am introducing legislation to restore CISA and the federal government’s full capability to protect our critical infrastructure by reinstating and expanding federal funding for the MS-ISAC. This will ensure states, localities, Tribes, and territories can access the tools and information necessary to protect their critical infrastructure.”
Additionally, Warner wrote, “I would like you to join me in convening Governors and leading AI companies to understand AI’s risks to critical infrastructure and how to use the same technology to defend against them.”
The Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act would direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure…
