Government funding deal reups cyber grant program

Congress’s continuing resolution ending the 43-day shutdown reauthorizes the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, originally a $1B initiative from the 2021 infrastructure law; GAO reports 839 projects funded with $172M disbursed to date, and the proposed PILLAR Act would extend the program 10 years with stabilized federal cost shares (60% for single-entity, 70% for multi-entity). Industry groups urge establishing a $4.5B two-year funding stream, while NASCIO and others warn the short-term extension and reupped data-sharing law are insufficient and call for a long-term, well-funded, permanent approach to bolster state and local cyber resilience.