Commitee Passes Cybersecurity Bill

The House Committee on Science and Technology approved a bill Wednesday to support cybersecurity research and training, and the development of clear cybersecurity standards for federal agencies to follow.

The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 4061), which was introduced earlier this month by Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill., would reauthorize support of research happening at the National Science Foundation and expand NSF scholarships to increase the size and skills of the cybersecurity workforce. The bill also reinforces the National Institute of Standards and Technology as the primary standards-development and coordination body for all areas of cybersecurity for federal agencies.

While the bill doesn't make any drastic changes to existing cybersecurity policy, it would require federal agencies no later than one year after passage of the bill to transmit to Congress a strategic plan that will guide their cybersecurity research and development efforts, and to update those plans every three years. The White House Science and Technology Policy Office would also need to establish a "University-Industry Task Force" within 180 days of the bill's passage to "explore mechanisms for carrying out collaborative research and development activities for cybersecurity" with participants from academia and industry.