Cybersecurity legislation clears Senate committee – NextGov
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Wednesday passed legislation that would raise the profile of cybersecurity in the federal government and expand public-private partnerships against cyber threats.
The 2009 Cybersecurity Act (S. 773), approved by voice vote, would create a Cybersecurity Advisory Panel, establish a dashboard to monitor federal government information systems in real time, encourage information sharing between the private and public sectors, and regulate how agencies and businesses protect their networks. Ninety percent of critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the public sector.
Since Sens. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.Va., chairman of the committee, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, introduced the bill last April, it has undergone numerous changes, including putting into place steps to implement certification standards for cybersecurity professionals.
