Edward Markey (D-MA)
Cybersecurity and AI Board of Investigations Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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
This bill establishes the Cybersecurity and AI Board of Investigations as an independent establishment within the Federal Government. The Board is tasked with conducting independent, unclassified reviews and assessments of significant cyber incidents, near-misses, and systemic vulnerabilities, paying special attention to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. It is composed of five Senate-confirmed members appointed by the President for five-year terms. The Board operates without assigning legal fault or liability, functioning separately from regulatory enforcement actions. Additionally, the legislation creates a voluntary, anonymized reporting system for near-misses and grants the Board administrative subpoena powers to gather necessary information.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
The bill establishes the Cybersecurity and AI Board of Investigations to conduct independent reviews of cyber incidents and bolster the cyber defenses of public and private institutions.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The Board is required to make its investigation reports and trend analyses publicly available with plain language executive summaries to foster learning across sectors.
- Scored +4
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
By investigating significant cyber incidents and AI-driven risks in critical infrastructure, the Board helps enhance overall digital safety and consumer protection.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Strengthened Cyber Defenses: Section 3(b)(3) outlines the purpose of the Board to bolster the cyber defenses of public and private institutions, specifically targeting risks posed by artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to protect public safety and critical infrastructure like clean and wastewater utilities.
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Voluntary Reporting Protections: Section 3(b)(5) and Section 3(j) establish a voluntary, anonymized near-miss reporting system and provide strong protections for information voluntarily provided to the Board, ensuring that submitted proprietary information is exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests and shielding providers from certain legal liabilities.
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Improved Public Transparency: Section 3(e) requires the Board to make its investigation reports and trend analyses publicly available with plain language executive summaries, which helps educate both the public and private sectors on how to proactively reduce cybersecurity threats and security vulnerabilities.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Subpoena Powers and Compliance Burdens: Section 3(i)(3) authorizes the Board to issue administrative subpoenas compelling entities or individuals to disclose documents and testimony, which could impose legal burdens and compliance costs on private citizens or organizations under investigation.
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Civil Action for Non-Compliance: Section 3(i)(3)(C) allows the Chair to refer matters to the Attorney General to bring a civil action in a U.S. district court against any entity or individual that fails to comply with a subpoena issued by the Board, potentially resulting in court contempt charges.
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.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The Board is required to make its investigation reports and trend analyses publicly available with plain language executive summaries to foster learning across sectors. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill establishes a new independent federal board with administrative subpoena powers to investigate cyber incidents.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill establishes the Cybersecurity and AI Board of Investigations to conduct independent reviews of cyber incidents and bolster the cyber defenses of public and private institutions.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — By investigating significant cyber incidents and AI-driven risks in critical infrastructure, the Board helps enhance overall digital safety and consumer protection. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill establishes a voluntary near-miss reporting system and clear protections that help entities proactively address cybersecurity vulnerabilities without assigning legal fault or liability.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill mandates privacy and digital security protections for documents and testimony provided to or obtained by the Board to safeguard personal information.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Business owners benefit from voluntary reporting protections and liability safeguards when sharing near-miss information with the Board.
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate