Contingency Plan for Critical Infrastructure Act

HR 8775, the Contingency Plan for Critical Infrastructure Act, requires the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assess how critical infrastructure owners and operators can switch to manual operations during cyber incidents. Within 180 days of enactment, they must evaluate current plans, costs, and challenges of manual operation, and provide policy recommendations to maintain infrastructure services. FEMA must also update its cyber incident planning guidelines to include best practices for essential personnel to operate systems manually when digital systems fail. This bill directly affects critical infrastructure sectors (like energy, water, and transportation) by mandating concrete planning steps for cyber resilience. The law focuses on preparing for cyber disruptions without altering existing infrastructure requirements.