Biden Signs Two Bills to Enhance Government Cybersecurity
President Joe Biden signed three bills into new law Tuesday, two of which addressed government cybersecurity, according to a White House press release.
Bill S. 1097, titled the "Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act of 2021," establishes a rotational program within the Federal Cyber Workforce. The workforce is a "diverse group of practitioners who govern, design, defend, analyze, administer, operate, and maintain our nation's data, systems and networks," according to the CIO Council.
The law establishes that "certain federal employees may be detailed among rotational cyber workforce positions at other agencies," and authorizes agencies to determine which employees are eligible for the program.
Bill S. 2520, titled the "State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2021," will require the Department of Homeland Security to increase collaboration with state, local, tribal and territorial government entities along with "corporations, associations, and the general public, regarding cybersecurity."
The law requires the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to provide training, conduct exercises and promote cybersecurity education and awareness across all lower levels of government.
The two bills join a number of other efforts by the Biden administration to bolster cybersecurity. The president recently oversaw the creation of a cybersecurity bureau and cybersecurity review board, and signed an executive order intended to improve cybersecurity following the Colonial Pipeline hack in 2021.
Both bills were sponsored by Democrat and Republican senators and representatives, showing a bipartisan effort to minimize cybersecurity threats to the US.
Gloss