Full renewal of state and local cyber grants program passes in House

The House easily approved legislation on Monday to renew a grant program meant to help state and local governments strengthen their digital defenses.

Members passed the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act, or the PILLAR Act, by voice vote. The measure would reauthorize the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program until 2033.

The effort, which lapsed on September 30, has provided $1 billion to local governments to improve their cybersecurity. 

A brief extension was included in the government funding stopgap measure President Donald Trump signed last week, but policymakers have sought a long-term solution, especially since the House Homeland Security Committee advanced the renewal in September.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), who introduced the bill, said in a statement that it “passed with strong support because cybersecurity is national security.”

“This legislation puts America First by giving our states, counties, and small towns the tools they need to combat foreign cyber adversaries.”

Lawmakers also voted 402-8 in favor of the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act. 

The legislation would establish an interagency task force, led by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, focused on countering Chinese state-sponsored cyber threats.

“Now more than ever, it’s critical for the federal government to take a proactive, whole-of-government approach to countering escalating cyber threats from the Chinese Communist Party,” House Homeland Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), said in a statement.