Rep. Subramanyam introduces bill in U.S. House to bolster data center security as critical infrastructure

The new bill, authored by U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam in the U.S. House, aims to enhance protections for data centers designated as critical infrastructure, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8711 was introduced on May 7, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, to develop a strategy to protect data centers treated as critical infrastructure from external breaches. The strategy must be submitted to Congress within 180 days of the bill’s enactment and should include recommendations to enhance the security of the data centers and safeguard surrounding communities. The bill emphasizes the need to evaluate the security of power and water supply infrastructures linked to these centers, considering their proximity to residential areas. It specifies definitions for “critical infrastructure” and “data center” based on existing federal laws.

The bill was introduced only by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (Democrat-VA-10th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Subramanyam has introduced another 30 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Suhas Subramanyam is a Representative from Virginia, having been elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress starting January 3, 2025. He previously served in the Virginia state house of delegates from 2020 to 2024 and is currently a member of the Virginia state senate.

He graduated with a B.A. from Tulane University in 2008 and earned a J.D. from Northwestern University in 2013. His political experience includes serving on staff for U.S. Representative Suzanne Kosmas, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the White House Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.