Neguse, Peters State and Local Government Cybersecurity Bill Heads to President's Desk for Signature

Statement

Today, Congressman Joe Neguse secured final passage of his bipartisan, bicameral State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act. This bill, led in the Senate by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), fosters cybersecurity coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and state and local actors. It also encourages the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to share vital security tools and protocols with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.

State and local governments are increasingly targeted by high-profile cyber-attacks, costing taxpayers millions of dollars and threatening the data privacy of millions of Americans. These entities possess a broad array of information about their citizens but often do not have the tools to adequately safeguard their systems.

"Senator Peters and I introduced both the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act and the Supply Chain Security Training Act to better defend the personal data of our constituents and of Americans across the country. I am proud to see the House and the Senate working together to swiftly move these bills to the President's desk and look forward to their enactment." said Congressman Neguse. "For hackers, state and local governments are an attractive target -- we must increase support to these entities so that they can strengthen their systems and better defend themselves from harmful cyber-attacks."

"State and local governments in Michigan and across the nation continue to be targeted by cybercriminals and other malicious actors. These attacks can prevent access to essential services, compromise sensitive and personal information, and disrupt our daily lives and livelihoods," said Senator Peters. "This commonsense legislation will strengthen coordination between all levels of government and give local officials in Michigan and across the country additional tools and resources to combat cyber-attacks. I look forward to seeing the President sign this bipartisan bill into law."

Congressman Neguse introduced the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2021 in response to a number of local attacks over the past few years, In March, Neguse as a member of the House Judiciary Committee questioned the FBI about recent state and local cyber-attacks in Colorado, view his remarks here.

Background:

In recent years, hackers have successfully breached cybersecurity defenses in Atlanta, Colorado, Baltimore and Louisiana. The 2018 cyber-attack on the Colorado Department of Transportation cost an estimated $1.5 million. Other Colorado institutions including Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Colorado Department of Transportation, Fort Collins Loveland Water District and Aurora Water, and the Boulder County payroll system have also been targeted by high-profile cyber-attacks.

Congressman Neguse has shown his devotion to enhancing cyber security, pushing for critical laws that address necessary refinements in U.S. national security. Last week, alongside Senator Peters, Neguse secured passage of the Supply Chain Security Training Act, a bill that creates a standardized training program to help federal employees responsible for purchasing services and equipment identify whether those products could compromise the federal government's information security. Additionally, Neguse's to proposal to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity workforce was incorporated into the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act and signed into law by President Biden at the end of 2021.

Source