118 HR 498 RH: 9–8–8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-05-11
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Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
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Union Calendar No. 35
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 498
[Report No. 118–52]
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 25, 2023
Mr. Obernolte (for himself and Mr. Cárdenas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
May 11, 2023
Reported with an amendment; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 25, 2023
A BILL
To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to secure the suicide prevention lifeline from cybersecurity incidents, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “9–8–8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act”.
2.

Protecting suicide prevention lifeline from cybersecurity incidents
(a)

National suicide prevention lifeline program
Section 520E–3(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c(b)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (4), by striking “and” at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
“(6)
coordinating with the Chief Information Security Officer of the Department of Health and Human Services to take such steps as may be necessary to ensure the program is protected from cybersecurity incidents and eliminates known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”.
(b)

Reporting
Section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
“(f)

Cybersecurity reporting
(1)

In general
(A)

In general
The program’s network administrator receiving Federal funding pursuant to subsection (a) shall report to the Assistant Secretary, in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws—
(i)
any identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the program immediately upon identification of such a vulnerability; and
(ii)
any identified cybersecurity incidents to the program immediately upon identification of such incident.
(B)

Local and regional crisis centers
Local and regional crisis centers participating in the program shall report to the program’s network administrator identified in subparagraph (A), in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws—
(i)
any identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the program immediately upon identification of such vulnerability; and
(ii)
any identified cybersecurity incidents to the program immediately upon identification of such incident.
(2)

Notification
If the program’s network administrator receiving funding pursuant to subsection (a) discovers, or is informed by a local or regional crisis center pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) of, a cybersecurity vulnerability or incident, such entity shall immediately report that discovery to the Assistant Secretary.
(3)

Clarification
(A)

Oversight
(i)

Local and regional crisis center
Except as provided in clause (ii), local and regional crisis centers participating in the program shall oversee all technology each center employs in the provision of services as a participant in the program.
(ii)

Network administrator
The program’s network administrator receiving Federal funding pursuant to subsection (a) shall oversee the technology each crisis center employs in the provision of services as a participant in the program if such oversight responsibilities are established in the applicable network participation agreement.
(B)

Supplement, not supplant
The cybersecurity incident reporting requirements under this subsection shall supplement, and not supplant, cybersecurity incident reporting requirements under other provisions of applicable Federal law that are in effect on the date of the enactment of the 9–8–8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act.”.
(c)

Study
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—
(1)
conduct and complete a study that evaluates cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities associated with the 9–8–8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; and
(2)
submit a report of the findings of such study to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
May 11, 2023
Reported with an amendment; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed