HR 7625: MTS CYBER Act of 2026

HR 7625 in plain English: This bill focuses on cybersecurity requirements for the U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS), which supports $2.1 trillion in economic activity and 41.5 percent of global trade value. It addresses a gap identified in prior port infrastructure funding by establishing cybersecurity standards or requirements for U.S. port infrastructure.

Stated purpose

This bill directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Coast Guard's budget, staffing, and capabilities for protecting the marine transportation system from cyber threats, and to report its findings and recommendations to Congress.

Key points

• Targets cybersecurity gaps in the Marine Transportation System, which supports $2.1 trillion in U.S. economic activity
• Addresses the $20 billion in port infrastructure funding from the Biden administration that did not specify cybersecurity requirements
• Establishes cybersecurity standards or mandates for U.S. port and maritime infrastructure

Arguments supporters make

• The Coast Guard has taken on major new cybersecurity duties but may lack the funding and staff to do the job — an independent audit would reveal whether those gaps are real and how large they are.
• Maritime trade accounts for trillions of dollars in economic activity, and identifying resource shortfalls early could prevent a costly cyberattack on ports or shipping infrastructure.
• A GAO review is a low-cost, nonpartisan way to give Congress the hard data it needs before committing more dollars or making policy changes.

Arguments opponents make

• The bill only orders a study and produces no direct action — it may delay real solutions while problems in Coast Guard cybersecurity readiness continue.
• Congress already has access to budget data and prior oversight reports; another review may duplicate existing work without adding new information or urgency.
• The bill's findings section characterizes the Coast Guard as underfunded before the review is even done, suggesting the outcome may be predetermined rather than genuinely independent.

Tradeoffs

Commissioning an independent audit takes time — up to 270 days — which trades speed of action for thoroughness of information; Congress gains better data to guide spending but risks a longer period before any funding or staffing fixes are made.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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