Committee Passes Legislation to Strengthen Cybersecurity

During the 111th Congress, the House Committee on Science and Technology has been examining the best ways to improve cybersecurity. On November 18th, the Committee passed H.R. 4061, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009, a bipartisan effort to improve the security of cyberspace by ensuring federal investments in cybersecurity are better focused, more effective, and that research into innovative, transformative technologies is supported. The bill addresses recommendations from the Administration’s Cyberspace Policy Review and includes input from four hearings held on cybersecurity during the first session.

“H.R. 4061 is based on the concept that in order to improve the security of our networked systems, which are fundamentally both public and private in nature, the federal government must work in concert with the private sector,” stated Chairman Bart Gordon. “H.R. 4061 will further our efforts in this direction.”

The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act reauthorizes and expands the Cyber Security Research and Development Act (P.L. 107-305). In addition to promoting cybersecurity R&D, the legislation addresses cybersecurity workforce concerns and advances the development of technical standards. H.R. 4061 is a combination of two Committee discussion drafts: the Cybersecurity Research and Development Amendments Act of 20009 and the Cybersecurity Coordination and Awareness Act of 2009.

“This bill will help to ensure an overall vision for the federal cybersecurity R&D portfolio, will help train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, will improve cybersecurity technical standards and will strengthen public-private partnerships in cybersecurity,” said bill author Research and Science Education Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Lipinski.