Bill Overview
Title: Ensuring America’s Critical Infrastructure Act
Description: This bill expands the definition of critical infrastructure under the Critical Infrastructures Protection Act of 2001 in the USA PATRIOT Act. The term currently means systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, or national public health or safety. The bill includes certain sectors as part of the existing definition, including communications, dams, emergency services, energy, financial services, food and agriculture, healthcare, information technology, transportation systems, and water and wastewater systems.
Sponsors: Rep. Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13]
Target Audience
Population: People who rely on critical infrastructure sectors for daily functions and security
Estimated Size: 331000000
- Critical infrastructure as defined includes sectors that are essential for public safety, economic stability, and the overall functioning of society.
- These sectors provide services and products that the general population relies on daily, such as energy, water, food, and healthcare.
- The bill's implications could affect nearly everyone in the United States, as these are foundational components of modern living.
- Inclusion of technology, transportation, and finance indicates impact on commerce, communication, and movement, all essential to Americans' daily activities.
Reasoning
- The policy impacts key sectors that affect almost everyone in the U.S., from healthcare and energy to IT and transportation.
- The budget limits mean that immediate, large-scale improvements might be minimal, but over ten years, significant incremental changes could improve resilience.
- The wellbeing impact might initially be low, as infrastructural changes are not direct consumer-facing changes, but over time, improvements could lead to greater perceived safety and reliability.
- Certain demographics, such as those in sectors directly involved (e.g., transportation workers, IT professionals), might notice more immediate job-related influences.
- Urban areas might experience more immediate effects due to the density and complexity of critical infrastructures compared to rural areas.
Simulated Interviews
Healthcare IT specialist (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think improving critical infrastructure is overdue, especially in healthcare.
- This will help prevent massive disruptions like what we saw during the pandemic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Water System Manager (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With the current network vulnerabilities, this policy is a step in the right direction.
- It's critical to the resilience of our water systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Energy Sector Analyst (Houston, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could drive investments in more resilient energy infrastructure.
- I'm curious about the long-term impact on renewable energy options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 5 |
Financial Services Consultant (Denver, CO)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strengthening financial systems is crucial, especially against cyber attacks.
- The scope of this bill seems necessary for modern threats.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Retired (Rural Iowa)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this means better services reach rural areas like mine.
- These kinds of investments are often too focused on cities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Transportation Planner (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrating smarter, more resilient transit systems will be key.
- Funding will need to balance between updating old systems and innovating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Software Developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited to see how this influences tech advancements in the security sector.
- Balancing security with user access is always challenging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Farmer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Agriculture depends heavily on reliable water and energy infrastructure.
- Hopeful that this policy will address some of the rural infrastructure issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Emergency Services Coordinator (Miami, FL)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving emergency readiness is always positive.
- Collaboration between sectors is essential for real change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
High School Teacher (Portland, OR)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Infrastructure investments should lead to more stable communities.
- I'm curious about the educational implications as a side effect of such policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1550000000 (Low: $1250000000, High: $1850000000)
Year 3: $1600000000 (Low: $1300000000, High: $1900000000)
Year 5: $1700000000 (Low: $1400000000, High: $2000000000)
Year 10: $1900000000 (Low: $1600000000, High: $2200000000)
Year 100: $2500000000 (Low: $2000000000, High: $3000000000)
Key Considerations
- Determining the appropriate level of protection and updating protocols to include newly designated sectors effectively.
- Balancing private sector involvement and government oversight in managing the expanded scope of critical infrastructure.
- Assessing potential legal and regulatory changes required as new sectors are designated as critical infrastructure.
- Ensuring collaboration across federal, state, and local governments as well as with international partners where applicable.