Two Kinzinger cybersecurity bills pass House

The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved two bipartisan cybersecurity bills introduced earlier this year by U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). 

“Offensive cyber operations conducted by America’s adversaries and cyber criminals are growing more prevalent and more sophisticated by the day,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “More must be done to push back, and I’m pleased to see two of my bipartisan cybersecurity bills pass the House with overwhelming support.” 

The House on Dec. 1 voted 408-17 to pass the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act, H.R. 4055, which Rep. Kinzinger sponsored in June with four original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

If enacted, H.R. 4055 would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign that would increase knowledge and awareness of cybersecurity risks among the American public, including best practices for preventing cyberattacks, according to the text of the bill.

Also on Dec. 1, the House voted 404-19 to approve the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act, H.R. 2685, which Rep. Kinzinger cosponsored in April with bill sponsor Rep. Eshoo to require the NTIA  to examine and report on the cybersecurity of mobile service networks and the vulnerability of these networks and mobile devices to cyberattacks and surveillance conducted by adversaries, according to the congressional record bill summary..

Under H.R. 2685, the NTIA report must include an assessment of the degree to which providers of mobile service have addressed certain cybersecurity vulnerabilities; a discussion of the degree to which these providers have implemented cybersecurity best practices and risk assessment frameworks; and an estimate of the prevalence and efficacy of encryption and authentication algorithms and techniques used in mobile service and communications equipment, mobile devices and mobile operating systems and software, the summary says.

Both H.R. 4055 and H.R. 2685 on Dec. 2 advanced to the U.S. Senate, where they have been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

“Taken together, these bills will strengthen our cyber posture by educating the public about best practices to keep them more secure, and by identifying vulnerabilities in our mobile telecommunications networks and infrastructure,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “I thank my colleague, Ms. Eshoo, for our continued partnership, and I hope to see the Senate take action on these bills soon.”