1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Communications of Utilities from Terrorist Threats or the SCOUTS Act . 2. Policy (a) Security and resilience The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the sector-specific agencies, may work with critical infrastructure owners and operators and State, local, tribal, and territorial entities to seek voluntary participation of such agencies to determine how the Department of Homeland Security can best serve the sector-specific cybersecurity needs to manage risk and strengthen the security and resilience of the Nation’s critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks that could have a debilitating impact on national security, economic stability, public health and safety, or any combination thereof. (b) Objectives In implementing subsection (a), the Secretary shall seek to reduce vulnerabilities, minimize consequences, identify and disrupt terrorism threats, and hasten response and recovery efforts related to impacted critical infrastructures. (c) Investigation of best means To engage owners and operators The Secretary, in coordination with the sector-specific agencies, may investigate the best means for engaging sector-specific agencies in participation in a voluntary cybersecurity information sharing, emergency support, and emerging threat awareness program. (d) Listening opportunity The Secretary shall establish voluntary opportunities for sector-specific agencies and critical infrastructure owners and operators to inform the Department of Homeland Security of sector-specific challenges to cybersecurity, including regarding— (1) what needs they may have or may not have regarding critical infrastructure protection