WASHINGTON, D.C. –– This week, leaders from the private sector and state and local governments voiced their support for the “Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act” (PILLAR Act), which passed the House of Representatives yesterday. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) and cosponsored by House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) and Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO).
 
The bill reauthorizes and reforms the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program to help state, local, tribal, and territorial entities defend against rapidly evolving cyber threats. The bill enhances the program to address emerging technologies, including AI, while strengthening coordination among federal, state, and local partners. 
 
Below are statements in support of the PILLAR Act:

Michael R. Centrella, Head of Public Policy, Security Scorecard: “The PILLAR Act is a critical piece of legislation that advances the resilience of our national digital infrastructure at a moment when cyber threats are accelerating in both sophistication and scale. As adversaries increasingly target supply chains, managed service providers, and state and local governments, the need for coordinated visibility, actionable threat sharing, and measurable resilience outcomes has never been more urgent.”  
 
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): “Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are escalating, putting states at risk. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is a key tool for building cyber defenses and will expire in January 2026 without reauthorization. The ‘Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act (PILLAR)’ Act will extend this important grant program and help ensure states can protect their citizens, safeguard essential services and strengthen resilience against growing threats. NCSL urges swift passage of the PILLAR Act.” 

Ryan Gillis, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Government Partnerships, Zscaler: “Zscaler commends the House Homeland Security Committee’s bipartisan efforts to reauthorize the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, an essential first step toward securing the federal portion of the investment needed to defend the systems that power our communities and support our military readiness. State and local governments are on the frontlines of asymmetric cyber warfare, and they cannot meet this challenge alone.” 
 
Palo Alto Networks: “Palo Alto Networks commends Representative Ogles and Chairman Garbarino for their leadership in championing the PILLAR Act and urges the House of Representatives to pass this critical legislation. By reauthorizing the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), this bill would provide state and local governments with the long-term certainty needed to harden their defenses. By broadening the program’s scope to include Operational Technology and AI systems, this legislation also aligns federal support with the speed of today’s cyber threat landscape. As nation-state actors and criminal groups increase the sophistication and scale of their attacks, the PILLAR Act ensures state and local government partners on the frontline are equipped to secure our nation’s critical infrastructure.” 
 
Business Software Alliance: “The Business Software Alliance supports the PILLAR Act’s commonsense approach to building and strengthening cybersecurity capacity in state and local governments. Reauthorizing the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program will help these governments access more effective tools, including platforms and services that deliver multi-factor authentication, AI-driven threat detection, and backup and resilience capabilities. By encouraging adoption of innovative cybersecurity technologies and long-term planning, the PILLAR Act helps equip state and local partners to meet evolving digital threats.” 
 
WIZ: “Wiz is a strong supporter of H.R. 5078, the PILLAR Act, and we applaud House leadership for prioritizing its passage. By passing this bill, Congress will not only bolster state and local cybersecurity defenses against sophisticated threats from our adversaries, but explicitly recognize the need to secure artificial intelligence systems, ensuring that local agencies can safely adopt innovation while managing emerging risks. Furthermore, as state and local governments increasingly rely on cloud infrastructure, this legislation provides essential support for securing the dynamic environments that underpin modern public services. We urge the House of Representatives to advance this crucial legislation without delay.” 

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGA): “The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America encourages the expeditious passage of H.R. 5078. Reauthorizing and improving the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant program will further empower our state and local governments to advance their cybersecurity preparedness and resilience, which in turn, supports our collective national and economic security.”

Jim Richberg,Head of Cyber Policy & Global Field CISO, Fortinet: “The State & Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has been a critical tool for improving the security and cyber resilience of state and local government services across the United States. The PILLAR Act (H.R. 5078) updates the Program to reflect the growing role of Artificial Intelligence and to better address chronic systemic weaknesses and supply chain risk management. Fortinet commends the House Homeland Security Committee and Chairman Garbarino, Subcommittee Ranking Member Swalwell and Representatives Evans and Ogles for their bipartisan leadership to extend and improve this program. We urge House passage and timely Senate consideration.”

Matthew Chase, Executive Director, National Association of Counties: “Counties serve on the frontlines of ensuring cybersecurity standards are met at the local level.  As costs for cybersecurity needs continue to rise, prioritizing federal investments in the cybersecurity of local government systems will help prevent malicious attacks on our critical infrastructure. Counties thank Chairman Garbarino and Representatives Ogles and Swalwell for their leadership in sponsoring the PILLAR Act (H.R. 5078) and urge swift passage of this legislation along with appropriations to support county cybersecurity infrastructure.”

Matt Hartman, Chief Strategy Officer, The Merlin Group: “State and local governments remain under constant pressure as adversaries and cybercriminals exploit under-resourced communities and longstanding weaknesses in our nation’s cyber defenses. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has been an essential lifeline for jurisdictions across the country, enabling them to strengthen critical infrastructure and keep pace with evolving threats. The PILLAR Act would provide the long-term authorization and stability needed to ensure the program reaches its full potential. Merlin Group urges Congress to pass this important legislation.” 

Rob Lee, CEO, Dragos: “As the House moves to extend authorization for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, Dragos is encouraged to see the program modernized and improved by recognizing the importance of protecting operational technology assets, in addition to information technology. This vital addition to the program will help protect the critical electrical, water, and other utility assets that provide for the basic needs of our communities.”
 
Ari Shahdadi, Chief Legal Officer, Vanta: “Vanta applauds House passage of the PILLAR Act and the House Homeland Security Committee and Chairman Garbarino’s efforts to reauthorize the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. State and local governments are on the front lines of protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats, yet often face steep resource constraints and unique challenges. Vanta appreciates the Act’s commitment to empower the smallest and most resource-constrained communities with the tools needed to achieve cyber resilience, and is encouraged by the recognition of the important role artificial intelligence can play in improving cybersecurity outcomes for all communities.”
 
Andrew Howell, Vice President of Government Affairs, SentinelOne: “The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has helped communities around the country stay ahead of cybersecurity threats, and by reauthorizing it, the PILLAR Act supports this critical first line of defense. Additionally, Representatives Ogles, Garbarino, Swalwell and Evans smartly used this bill to both modernize the program and provide a long-term extension that will give state and local governments the time and confidence to fully utilize these grant funds. SentinelOne strongly supports this bill and encourages the House of Representatives to pass it and the Senate to soon do the same. ”
 
The McCrary Institute: “The McCrary Institute strongly supports H.R. 5078, the ‘Pillar Act,’ and encourages both the House and Senate to swiftly take up and pass this legislation so that state and local stakeholders may rest assured that essential federal support of cybersecurity efforts can remain available in the coming years. At a time when state and local governments are being asked to do more to protect critical systems from increasing cyber threats, it is important that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency remain a trusted resource—in funding, information sharing, and as a collaborative partner. This bill reaffirms CISA’s support of state and local partners, and the McCrary Institute is grateful for the bipartisan leadership of the House Committee on Homeland Security to develop and advance this legislation.”
 
American Public Works Association: “American Public Works Association (APWA) CEO Scott Grayson, CAE and APWA President Vic Bianes, PE on behalf of our over 32,000 members in North America, offer our support of  H.R. 5078, the “Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act” or “PILLAR Act”, this bipartisan legislation would reauthorize and extend the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program through fiscal year (FY) 2033. APWA encourages the federal government to require collaboration with and the inclusion of input from public works professionals when developing, funding, implementing, and executing cybersecurity policies and programs. This includes provisions to ensure access for public works professionals and the operations they manage, oversee, or maintain, to funding opportunities over the life of grant programs. APWA looks forward to working with Congress to enact responsible cybersecurity legislation such as H.R. 5078.”

Tom Guarente, Armis: “Armis strongly supports H.R.5078 – the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience (PILLAR) Act. This legislation represents a crucial investment in enhancing the cybersecurity posture of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. As the Administration emphasizes the need for states to take on greater responsibility for their cyber protections, it is essential to renew and expand funding to provide the necessary resources and support for governments and their partners to defend critical environments. It is vital for our elected officials to pass this important legislation that significantly impacts our National Security, starting with our State and Local Governments.”
 
Amit Elazari, CEO, OpenPolicy: “OpenPolicy strongly supports the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act (H.R. 5078) aiming to boost state and local cybersecurity resilience by reauthorizing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) grant program and explicitly extending protections to key emerging technology areas —including operational technologies and AI-driven systems. The bill’s emphasize on continues assessment of vulnerabilities, AI, operational technology, multi-factor authentication and Secure by Design, reflects the evolving attack surface landscape and the need for a proactive posture.”

Alliance for Digital Innovation: “The Alliance for Digital Innovation (ADI) urges all Members of Congress to support the PILLAR Act and its commitment to strengthening the cybersecurity posture of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. The growing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure underscore the urgent need for sustained federal investment and coordination.  The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has proven effective in building resilience, improving incident response, and fostering collaboration across all levels of government. By advancing the PILLAR Act, Congress can ensure that critical systems remain secure, communities remain protected, and our national defense remains strong. ADI encourages Congressional leaders to work with stakeholders to establish a sustainable funding model that supports long-term cybersecurity planning and implementation nationwide.”

Jason Oxman, President and CEO, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI): “Equipping state and local partners with the tools needed to address cybersecurity risks and threats must remain a top priority for Congress. Extending the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), which provides funding for eligible entities to help state and local partners bolster their cybersecurity efforts, will defend U.S. cybersecurity as cyberattacks proliferate. We urge the House to extend this critical and impactful cybersecurity program and look forward to working with the PILLAR Act’s sponsors to ensure the SLCGP receives robust federal funding.”
 
James Hayes, Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Tenable: “Passage of the bipartisan “Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act” (PILLAR Act), which reauthorizes and enhances the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), is a vital step toward strengthening our national security. By renewing this critical program, Congress is providing essential resources to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to defend against evolving cyber threats to critical infrastructure that millions of Americans rely on every day, from power and water systems to hospitals, schools, and public safety networks.  We encourage the Senate to take up and pass the PILLAR Act and also look forward to working with Congress to appropriate funding for SLCGP to ensure these critical resources are made available to the communities that need them most.”

Cynthia Kaiser, Senior Vice President of Halcyon’s Ransomware Research Center: “Halcyon is excited to see the House take up legislation to reauthorize the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. The program has been a vital lifeline for under-resourced state, local, tribal, and territorial governments seeking to improve their cybersecurity posture and protect their citizens in an increasingly dangerous threat environment. These governments are regularly targeted by ransomware, and other advanced cyber threats that result in disruption of public services, theft of confidential information, and even loss of essential functions like medical facilities and water utilities. Renewing this program will be a major boost to the cybersecurity of our communities, and the nation. Halcyon is grateful for the work of Rep. Ogles, Rep. Garbarino, Rep. Swalwell, Rep. Evans, and Rep. Vindman to push this forward.”
 

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