Critical Infrastructure AI Cyber Defense Pilot Program

(a) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security (in this section referred to as the Secretary), acting through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (in this section referred to as the Director) and in consultation with Sector Risk Management Agencies, shall establish a program, to be known as the Critical Infrastructure AI Cyber Defense Pilot Program (in this section referred to as the Program), through which owners and operators of critical infrastructure that participate in the Program are able to securely utilize artificial intelligence procured through the Secretary and technical assistance provided by the Secretary to protect against, detect, test for, and remediate vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity of such critical infrastructure. (b) Application Each year, an owner or operator of critical infrastructure that seeks to participate in the Program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Prioritization In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall prioritize any owners and operators of critical infrastructure that the Secretary determines to be any of the following: (1) Not-for-profit. (2) Publicly owned. (3) Rural. (4) Small-sized. (d) Report Not later than 30 days after the date of the establishment of the Program and monthly thereafter until the termination of the Program, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall submit to Congress and the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the Program that includes for the monthly period covered by such report the following, as applicable: (1) A specification of the following: (A) The number of grants awarded under the Program. (B) For each such grant, the amount of such grant. (2) An identification of the recipient of such grant. (e) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this section. (2) Administrative expenses Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not utilize more than 5 percent of such amounts to cover salaries and expenses and other administrative costs incurred by the Secretary with respect to procuring artificial intelligence and providing technical assistance under this section. (f) Termination The Program shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (g) Definitions In this section: (1) Artificial intelligence The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401). (2) Critical infrastructure The term critical infrastructure has the meaning given such term in section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c). (3) Sector Risk Management Agency The term Sector Risk Management Agency has the meaning given such term in section 2200 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 650).