This bill directs the Commerce Department to develop and distribute free training resources to help small businesses adopt artificial intelligence and key emerging technologies like quantum-hybrid computing. The training will cover practical business areas including financial management, cybersecurity, marketing, and supply chain operations, with special focus on small businesses in rural, Tribal, or underserved communities and those in advanced manufacturing. The program requires annual updates to the training materials, distribution through existing Small Business Administration resource centers (like SCORE and small business development centers), and annual reports to Congress tracking participation and business outcomes. The initiative will expire three years after enactment.
This bill requires the federal government to develop a strategy for migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which is encryption designed to withstand attacks from future quantum computers. Within 180 days, a federal subcommittee must create a national strategy defining when quantum computers pose a threat, assessing risks for each agency, and setting performance measures for four migration stages (preparation, inventory, implementation, and monitoring). It also mandates a pilot program where sector risk management agencies must upgrade at least one high-impact federal system to PQC by January 2027. The bill directs cost surveys for agencies and annual progress reports from the Comptroller General to track implementation across federal systems.
The Defense Technology Hubs Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a program creating regional hubs focused on advancing defense-related technologies like AI, quantum, and cybersecurity. These hubs - designated from applications by eligible consortia (including universities, defense contractors, and local governments) - will accelerate research, foster partnerships with military installations, and build workforce pipelines. The program authorizes $375 million (2026-2030) to fund hubs, with federal grants covering up to 50% of costs, while mandating strict security protocols to protect sensitive research. It aims to distribute at least 10 hubs across diverse U.S. regions within three years, prioritizing areas near existing defense facilities.
HR 2109, the Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act, requires the federal rural water assistance program to provide cybersecurity help to small water systems serving under 10,000 people. It adds specific provisions for these systems to assess their cyber threat protections and implement security plans, procedures, and technologies. The bill increases annual funding for the program from $25 million to $32.5 million (2026-2030), with $7.5 million specifically allocated each year for this cybersecurity assistance. This directly affects rural water providers who lack resources to address growing cyber risks to their infrastructure.
The New Collar Jobs Act of 2025 creates tax credits for employers who fund cybersecurity training for staff, covering up to $5,000 per employee annually. It also offers student loan forgiveness of up to $25,000 for cybersecurity workers employed in economically distressed areas for 36 consecutive months. The bill expands CyberCorps scholarships for cybersecurity education and increases funding for cybersecurity programs at colleges. These provisions directly affect employers, cybersecurity workers, and educational institutions seeking to address workforce shortages in critical security roles.
The LAST ACRE Act of 2025 establishes the "Last Acre Program" to expand high-speed broadband access to agricultural land that lacks sufficient connectivity. The program provides grants and loans to broadband providers to build networks meeting minimum speed requirements (100 Mbps downstream, 20 Mbps upstream) on unserved or underserved cropland, pastureland, and farm sites used for active agricultural production. It prioritizes assistance for limited resource farmers (those with lower income and farm sales) and requires providers to meet cybersecurity standards and submit detailed bid applications. The bill also mandates data collection about agricultural broadband usage and requires annual reporting to Congress on program implementation.
The Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act requires federal agencies to identify and report high-risk legacy information technology systems to the Federal Chief Information Officer. The Federal CIO must then compile and prioritize a list of the top 10 critical systems needing modernization, reporting this to Congress annually. Agencies can use dedicated fund money to upgrade outdated systems, enhance cybersecurity, or improve efficiency, but must repay funds to maintain the fund's operational balance until 2032. The bill also prohibits funding for projects with fraudulent or misleading information about technical design, business cases, or project management.
The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act requires automakers to obtain explicit, written consent from vehicle owners before accessing or sharing their vehicle data (including location and personal information), except for safety improvements or emergencies. It prohibits selling personal data to specific foreign governments (like China, Russia, and North Korea) and mandates that owners have free, real-time access to all vehicle data - without fees, proprietary tools, or restrictions - via open interfaces to delete data or adjust settings. The Federal Trade Commission must report to Congress within 180 days on how automakers handle data, including cybersecurity risks and foreign data sharing. The law takes effect three months after enactment and is enforced under existing FTC authority.
This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to create voluntary guidelines for state and local election offices on managing artificial intelligence (AI) in elections. The guidelines must address AI's risks and benefits, cybersecurity threats, how AI affects sharing accurate election information, and how it might spread disinformation. The EAC must also study AI's use in the 2024 federal elections by July 2026 and update the guidelines based on that study. These guidelines are non-binding, meaning election offices choose whether to adopt them, and they aim to help election administrators navigate AI tools responsibly.
This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop voluntary, industry-led technical standards for precision agriculture equipment within two years, coordinating with NIST and the FCC. It requires these standards to address connectivity needs, cybersecurity, and compatibility across devices like GPS systems, soil sensors, and data management tools used by farmers. The bill also mandates a GAO assessment every two years for eight years to evaluate whether the standards are truly voluntary, developed with industry input, and successfully encourage wider adoption of precision agriculture. The policy affects farmers, ag-tech companies, and equipment manufacturers by creating common technical rules to reduce adoption barriers, without imposing new regulations or costs.
