Compliance Management, Government Regulations

U.S. House passes legislation to create Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed H.R. 3359, a legislation that would redesignate the Department of Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), the bill, known as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2017, amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002. 

According to a Congressional bill summary, the legislation states that CISA would be “headed by a Director of National Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security to lead national efforts to protect and enhance the security and resilience of U.S. cybersecurity, emergency communications, and critical infrastructure.”

This restructured agency would consist of a cybersecurity division, an infrastructure security division and an emergency communications division.

“With the advancement of technology and our increased dependence on computer networks, nation states, hackers, and cybercriminals are finding new ways to attack our cyber infrastructure and expose vulnerabilities,” said McCaul. “This realignment will achieve DHS's goal of creating a standalone operational organization, focusing on and elevating its vital cybersecurity and infrastructure security missions to strengthen the security of digital America and our nation's critical infrastructure.”

A finalized bill must pass both legislative bodies of Congress before President Donald Trump can sign it into law. 

“I commend the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 3359. I urge the Senate to pass similar legislation,” said newly confirmed DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a cybersecurity expert who formerly served as deputy White House chief of staff and, before that, DHS chief of staff.

“As the events of this morning illustrate, our nation's critical infrastructure can often be prime targets for adversaries of all types, including terrorists, nation state and other non-state actors, hackers, and ordinary criminals,” Nielsen continued in a statement, apparently alluding to an attempted terrorist attack on the New York transit system earlier that day. “As the threat landscape shifts and becomes more complex, our approach to security must evolve.”

Bradley Barth

As director of multimedia content strategy at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for online conferences, webcasts, podcasts video/multimedia projects — often serving as moderator or host. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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