Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The PROTECT the Grid Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to study national security vulnerabilities in the U.S. electric grid created by internet-connected home appliances like electric vehicle chargers, smart thermostats, and water heaters that could be remotely controlled by foreign adversaries. The bill focuses on risks from applications and devices controlled by countries like China, which the legislation argues could coordinate large-scale power demand attacks to destabilize the grid. Within 270 days of enactment, the Commerce Department must submit a report to Congress assessing these risks and recommend solutions, which may include restricting federal purchases of affected devices, establishing security certifications, or applying existing national security authorities to IoT devices. The bill also converts an existing presidential executive order on technology supply chain security into law, reinforcing protections against foreign interference in critical infrastructure.
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