From Breitbart: Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has introduced legislation directing the Department of Commerce to assess national security risks posed by high-wattage internet-connected devices and applications operated by companies under the control of foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party.
On Friday Scott announced the introduction of the Preventing Remote Operations by Threatening Entities on Critical Technology for the Grid (PROTECT the Grid) Act, a bill aimed at investigating potential vulnerabilities in the U.S. electric grid from certain internet-connected appliances and devices linked to foreign adversaries.
The legislation directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with other federal officials, to submit a report to Congress within 270 days assessing the risks posed by high-wattage Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and associated applications controlled by foreign entities. Such devices include smart ovens, laundry machines, electric vehicle chargers, water heaters, and air conditioners with the capacity to consume or control more than 500 watts of power.
Scott’s bill points to research from Princeton University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, warning of “MaDIoT” attacks, which could use coordinated demand manipulation through IoT devices to potentially trigger blackouts or cause grid damage, Breitbart writes.
In a statement, Sen. Scott said, “We cannot forget the existential threat that the Chinese Communist Party poses to our national security and American citizens. The CCP uses every tool at its disposal to infiltrate our markets, our government, and our families’ everyday lives through smart products designed with a built-in backdoor for China to spy on them and access our power grids. The risk this access poses cannot be understated – it means Communist China could flip a digital switch and plunge parts of America into chaos. My Protect the Grid Act calls for an investigation into China’s influence through these items and how we can work to off their access, secure our grid, and stop a foreign dictatorship from holding American citizens hostage through their own appliances.”
The CCP uses every tool at its disposal to infiltrate our lives, including smart products designed with a built-in backdoor for Communist China to access.
My Protect the Grid Act calls for an investigation into the CCP’s influence to help secure our grid. https://t.co/FE7FBvTeAM
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) August 8, 2025
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