Article
What DHS created
On July 1, the Department of Homeland Security published a notice establishing the Alliance of National Councils for Homeland Operational Resilience, Critical Infrastructure, known as ANCHOR-CI. Housed within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, it will advise DHS and CISA on cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience, terrorism and other threats. Its role is advisory only.
The alliance is built from four kinds of councils:
- Sector councils, which may include the existing sector and government coordinating councils.
- Cross-sector councils for threats that span several industries.
- Industry councils for groups that do not fit neatly into a designated sector.
- Regional councils, created at the CISA director’s discretion, with attention to rural representation.
Members can include infrastructure owners and operators, their trade groups, all levels of government and security organizations. The CISA director approves every member. The body is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act, members serve without pay, and the alliance ends after two years unless the secretary extends it.
Why hospitals should pay attention
Health care is one of the most frequently targeted sectors for ransomware, and an attack on a hospital or a key vendor can divert ambulances and delay care across a region. Federal advisory bodies shape guidance, information-sharing practices and, over time, expectations that can show up in regulation or contracts.
The structure also matters for smaller organizations. Regional councils and the stated focus on rural representation create openings for community and rural hospitals that rarely participate in national policy forums. Because membership is by approval and the notice is not a solicitation, participation will likely flow through existing sector bodies and associations.
Actions for CEOs and CISOs
- Ask your state hospital association and sector partners how they plan to engage with ANCHOR-CI and how members can feed in concerns.
- Identify the two or three issues your organization most wants federal partners to address, such as third-party vendor risk, threat intelligence speed or downtime support.
- Confirm your organization receives sector threat alerts and that someone acts on them.
- Brief the board’s risk or audit committee on how federal coordination fits into your incident response plan.
Archive entry for Jul 7, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.