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The House passed H.R. 2659, a bill to create an interagency task force aimed at protecting U.S. power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure from Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks. The measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
This vote was on H.R. 2659, which establishes a specialized task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI. The group's primary mission is to detect and counter cyber threats from foreign state-sponsored hackers, specifically those linked to the People's Republic of China, such as the group known as 'Volt Typhoon.' This task force will analyze risks to essential services—like electricity, water, and transportation—and provide regular reports and security recommendations to Congress. The vote was held under a procedure called 'suspension of the rules.' This is a fast-track method used for bills that have broad support and are not expected to be controversial. It limits the time for debate and prevents members from adding changes (amendments) to the bill on the floor. Because it bypasses the standard process, it requires a higher bar for success: two-thirds of the voting members must say 'yes' for the bill to pass, rather than a simple majority. The bill passed with a significant bipartisan majority of 402 to 8. This outcome reflects a high level of agreement between both parties regarding the need to protect national infrastructure from foreign cyber interference. The bill has now been sent to the Senate, where it will be reviewed by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs before it can potentially move to a final vote and then to the President's desk.
The bill has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. It addresses the vulnerability of essential services like electricity and water to foreign interference and hacking.
Who’s affected. Utility and infrastructure operators: Will receive better information and government support to defend their networks. · General Public: Increased security and reliability for essential services like water and power. · Federal Agencies: CISA and the FBI will have new mandates to coordinate across different government sectors.
Democrats. All voting Democrats supported the measure.
Republicans. The vast majority of Republicans supported the bill, with only eight voting against it.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Nov 17, 2025
The House passed H.R.
2659, a bill to create an interagency task force aimed at protecting U.S. power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure from Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks. The measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
This vote used 'suspension of the rules,' a shortcut usually reserved for non-controversial bills. It requires a two-thirds supermajority to pass but limits debate and prevents amendments.
The bill has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
It addresses the vulnerability of essential services like electricity and water to foreign interference and hacking.
The vote was almost unanimous, showing total bipartisan consensus on addressing foreign cyber threats.
All voting Democrats supported the measure.
The vast majority of Republicans supported the bill, with only eight voting against it.
The single independent member voted in favor.