A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The PROTECT the Grid Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to assess national security risks involving the electric grid. The bill focuses on vulnerabilities created by Internet-connected, high-wattage appliances controlled by foreign adversary-controlled applications. It seeks to prevent coordinated attacks that could manipulate power demand and cause grid instability or blackouts. The Secretary is required to submit a report to Congress within 270 days containing findings and recommendations. These recommendations may include restrictions on transactions or procurement involving certain consumer products. Finally, the Act codifies Executive Order 13873 into law.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +7
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
The bill assesses and aims to mitigate cyber risks to the electric grid posed by foreign adversary-controlled IoT devices.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The bill addresses risks associated with foreign entities collecting detailed consumer data through smart appliances.
- Scored +4
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill targets the collection of consumer data by foreign adversary-controlled applications.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Would business owners be better off under this?
Potential new certification or labeling requirements may increase costs for businesses involved in the IoT appliance industry.
- Scored -1
Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport?
Potential restrictions on high-wattage devices like electric vehicle chargers could impact broader transportation infrastructure usage.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of the Electric Grid: The bill aims to prevent large-scale blackouts, frequency imbalances, and cascading system failures that could jeopardize public safety and the economy (Section 2(a)(11)).
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Enhanced National Security: By assessing risks from high-wattage IoT devices used by foreign adversaries, the act seeks to secure domestic information and communications technology supply chains (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Mitigation of Foreign Influence: The report and its potential recommendations aim to ensure that network-connected home appliances do not serve as a conduit for activities by foreign adversaries (Section 2(b)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Potential Restrictions on Consumer Products: The report may recommend restrictions or conditions on transactions involving certain high-wattage IoT devices (Section 4(c)(1)).
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Potential Procurement Limitations: The report may suggest specifically restricting the Federal Government from procuring consumer products that use foreign adversary-controlled applications (Section 4(c)(2)).
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Potential New Requirements for Industry: The report may include recommendations for new certification or labeling requirements for high-wattage IoT devices (Section 4(c)(3)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would billionaires be better off under this? — Grid stability protects overall economic and infrastructure stability. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Grid stability preserves the infrastructure and energy reliability essential for high-income households. Would people with substantial wealth be better off under this? — Grid stability protects overall economic and infrastructure stability. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Securing the electric grid protects all households from the economic fallout of large-scale blackouts. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Protecting grid stability safeguards the household appliances and energy reliability relied upon by middle-income families. Would the very wealthiest people be better off under this? — Grid stability protects overall economic and infrastructure stability. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Protecting the grid helps prevent the cascading failures that can disrupt densely populated urban areas. Would business owners be better off under this? — Potential new certification or labeling requirements may increase costs for businesses involved in the IoT appliance industry.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill assesses and aims to mitigate cyber risks to the electric grid posed by foreign adversary-controlled IoT devices.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill addresses risks associated with foreign entities collecting detailed consumer data through smart appliances.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill targets the collection of consumer data by foreign adversary-controlled applications.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill seeks to protect consumers from large-scale grid disruptions caused by foreign-controlled appliances.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — Potential restrictions on high-wattage devices like electric vehicle chargers could impact broader transportation infrastructure usage.
- 7/31/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.