,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dhie ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ca1 #bjbd,mr4 ,wyden introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to establish a program to disseminate technical and other assistance to small and rural electric cooperatives to support expanding electric transmission capacity and hardening electric transmission and distribution infrastructure against cyberattacks and threats from natural hazards1 with a focus on threats from wildfire1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,grid ,resilience ,improvement through ,dedicated ,assistance ,act or the ,,grid ,assistance ,act4 #b4 ,grid ,assistance ,program ,subtitle ,a of title ,i of division ,d of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahgaa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #djaad4 ,grid ,assistance ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state government or the government of any political subdivision of a ,state2 7,b7 a federally recognized ,indian ,tribe2 7,c7 an institution of higher education2 and 7,d7 a not-for-profit organization4 7#b7 ,grid ,assistant ,the term ,grid ,assistant means an individual who is trained to provide and support1 on a professional basis1 assistance 7including technical assistance7 and informed decisionmaking in the planning1 financing1 and implementation of electric transmission capacity expansion or the hardening of electric transmission or distribution infrastructure1 including with respect to #a or more of the following3 7,a7 ,applicable ,federal funding opportunities and tax incentives4 7,b7 ,applicable ,state1 local1 and utility-based incentives1 including1 as appropriate1 coordinating with the ,state energy office in that ,state4 7,c7 ,project financing4 7,d7 ,grant writing4 7,e7 ,community-based capacity building1 including succession planning4 7#c7 ,program ,the term ,program means the ,grid ,assistance ,program established under subsection 7b74 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,grid ,deployment ,office4 7#e7 ,state energy office ,the term ,state energy office has the meaning given the term ,state energy agency in section #cia of the ,energy ,policy and ,conservation ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fcga74 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish a program1 to be known as the ,grid ,assistance ,program1 under which the ,secretary shall provide grants to eligible entities for the hiring1 training1 and retention by eligible entities of #a or more ,grid ,assistants4 7c7 ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a grant under the ,program1 an eligible entity shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,term ,the term of a grant provided under the ,program shall be more than #c1 but not more than #f1 years1 as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate to achieve the purposes of this section4 7#c7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of the cost of carrying out activities under the grant shall be not more than #hj percent4 7#d7 ,priority ,in providing grants under the ,program1 the ,secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity-- 7,a7 the application under paragraph 7#a7 of which is recommended by the director of the relevant ,state energy office2 or 7,b7 that serves a rural electric cooperative or utility that-- 7i7 is owned by a subdivision of a ,state1 such as a municipal electric utility2 and 7ii7 operates primarily in an area at high risk of wildfires1 as determined using the wildfire ,national ,risk ,index of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency4 7d7 ,grid ,assistants ,a ,grid ,assistant employed by an eligible entity using a grant provided under this section-- 7#a7 shall offer assistance and support described in subsection 7a77#b7 to not fewer than #b rural electric cooperatives or utilities owned by a subdivision of a ,state 7such as municipal electric utilities7 served by1 or in the vicinity of1 the eligible entity2 and 7#b7 may provide technical assistance to the eligible entity in applying for transmission capacity expansion and transmission and distribution resilience opportunities under-- 7,a7 this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act2 and 7,b7 ,public ,law #aag-afi 7commonly known as the #8,inflation ,reduction ,act of #bjbb'7 7#acf ,stat4 #ahah74 7e7 ,information sharing 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall facilitate the sharing among ,grid ,assistants of information relating to best practices4 7#b7 ,information from other agencies ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 the ,secretary of ,transportation1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 the ,chief of ,engineers1 and the heads of such other ,federal departments and agencies as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate1 shall make available to ,grid ,assistants information relating to other ,federal incentives available to eligible entities for transmission capacity expansion and transmission and distribution resilience projects4 7f7 ,reports to ,congress ,not less frequently than annually1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report describing the accomplishments of the ,program1 including with respect to-- 7#a7 additional transmission capacity added to the grid or transmission or distribution infrastructure hardened using assistance provided pursuant to the ,program2 7#b7 monetary savings to communities2 and 7#c7 reductions in risks relating to-- 7,a7 natural hazards1 including1 at a minimum1 wildfires2 and 7,b7 cyberattacks4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbe through #bjbi4 4