[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H793-H794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CYBER PREPAREDNESS ACT OF 2017

  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 584) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
preparedness and response capabilities for cyber attacks, bolster the 
dissemination of homeland security information related to cyber 
threats, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 584

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Cyber Preparedness Act of 
     2017''.

     SEC. 2. INFORMATION SHARING.

       Title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended--
       (1) in section 210A (6 U.S.C. 124h)--
       (A) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in paragraph (10), by inserting before the semicolon at 
     the end the following: ``, including, in coordination with 
     the national cybersecurity and communications integration 
     center under section 227, access to timely technical 
     assistance, risk management support, and incident response 
     capabilities with respect to cyber threat indicators, 
     defensive measures, cybersecurity risks, and incidents (as 
     such terms are defined in such section), which may include 
     attribution, mitigation, and remediation, and the provision 
     of information and recommendations on security and 
     resilience, including implications of cybersecurity risks to 
     equipment and technology related to the electoral process'';
       (ii) in paragraph (11), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (iii) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (14); 
     and
       (iv) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(12) review information relating to cybersecurity risks 
     that is gathered by State, local, and regional fusion 
     centers, and incorporate such information, as appropriate, 
     into the Department's own information relating to 
     cybersecurity risks;
       ``(13) ensure the dissemination to State, local, and 
     regional fusion centers of information relating to 
     cybersecurity risks; and'';
       (B) in subsection (c)(2)--
       (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through (G) as 
     subparagraphs (D) through (H), respectively; and
       (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) The national cybersecurity and communications 
     integration center under section 227.'';
       (C) in subsection (d)--
       (i) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (ii) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
       (iii) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(4) assist, in coordination with the national 
     cybersecurity and communications integration center under 
     section 227, fusion centers in using information relating to 
     cybersecurity risks to develop a comprehensive and accurate 
     threat picture; and''; and
       (D) in subsection (j)--
       (i) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
     paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and
       (ii) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 
     the following new paragraph:
       ``(1) the term `cybersecurity risk' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 227;''; and
       (2) in section 227 (6 U.S.C. 148)--
       (A) in subsection (c)--
       (i) in paragraph (5)(B), by inserting ``, including State 
     and major urban area fusion centers, as appropriate'' before 
     the semicolon at the end;
       (ii) in paragraph (7), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
     (A), by striking ``information and recommendations'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``information, 
     recommendations, and best practices''; and
       (iii) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``best practices,'' 
     after ``defensive measures,''; and
       (B) in subsection (d)(1)(B)(ii), by inserting ``and State 
     and major urban area fusion centers, as appropriate'' before 
     the semicolon at the end.

     SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS.

       Subsection (a) of section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (14) as 
     paragraphs (5) through (15), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(4) enhancing cybersecurity, including preparing for and 
     responding to cybersecurity risks and incidents (as such 
     terms are defined in section 227) and developing statewide 
     cyber threat information analysis and dissemination 
     activities;''.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that to facilitate the timely 
     dissemination to appropriate State, local, and private sector 
     stakeholders of homeland security information related to 
     cyber threats, the Secretary of Homeland Security should, to 
     the greatest extent practicable, work to share actionable 
     information related to cyber threats in an unclassified form.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Donovan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to

[[Page H794]]

revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on 
the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 584, the Cyber 
Preparedness Act of 2017.
  Cybersecurity is a major national security issue and the threat is 
real and immediate. Day in and day out nation-states or criminal actors 
target the United States' critical infrastructure, the private sector, 
and everyday Americans, and they are succeeding. However, even with the 
heightened awareness on cybersecurity, it appears that the United 
States is not adequately prepared to prevent and respond to cyber 
attacks.
  Since 2012, FEMA has released an annual National Preparedness Report, 
which highlights States' progress in meeting 32 core capabilities, as 
defined by the National Preparedness Goal. Every year, States have 
ranked their cybersecurity capabilities as one of their lowest.
  I found these facts very alarming and wanted to learn more about the 
current state of cyber preparedness. That is why, last Congress, my 
subcommittee, the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications 
Subcommittee, held a joint hearing with the committee's Cybersecurity 
and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee to look at cyber 
preparedness and how the Federal Government can help States address 
some of the challenges they face.
  We heard from a Homeland Security adviser, a fusion center 
representative, the Center for Internet Security, a chief information 
officer, and a chief technology officer, who explained the great 
progress the United States has made in enhancing their security 
capabilities. However, they cautioned that challenges still remain, 
especially with regard to information sharing of cyber threats and 
risks, and whether Homeland Security grants may be used for 
cybersecurity enhancements.
  Last Congress, I introduced this bill to address the findings from 
that hearing. I introduced this bill in this Congress to ensure that 
States and first responders have the resources needed to prepare for 
and protect against cyber attacks.
  This commonsense legislation will: Enhance cyber risk information 
sharing with State and major urban area fusion centers; authorize 
representatives from State and urban area fusion centers to be assigned 
to the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center; 
and permit the NCCIC personnel to be deployed to the fusion centers.
  It will allow information sharing on cyber preparedness best 
practices with State and local stakeholders. It will clarify the 
eligibility of State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Area 
Security Initiative funding for cybersecurity enhancements; and it will 
work to combat the overclassification of cyber risk information so that 
it can be shared more broadly with stakeholders who have a need to 
know.
  I appreciate that Chairman McCaul, Chairman Ratcliffe, and Ranking 
Member Payne joined me again as original cosponsors of H.R. 584. This 
bipartisan legislation passed the House by voice vote last Congress. I 
am pleased that the House is willing to take up this measure again in 
the new Congress.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 584, the Cyber 
Preparedness Act of 2017, and I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, since I became ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications 4 years ago, 
States have repeatedly expressed concern about the ability to confront 
the cyber threat and have rated cybersecurity among the core 
capabilities in which they had the least confidence.
  Last Congress, the subcommittee held a hearing on State and local 
efforts to counter the cyber threat where State emergency managers and 
chief information officers testified about activities they were 
undertaking to secure their networks and infrastructure.
  For example, my home State of New Jersey has begun developing its own 
cyber information-sharing capability, similar to DHS' National 
Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center.
  Since the subcommittee held its hearing last year, the Federal 
Government has made significant progress in providing cybersecurity 
guidance to Federal, State, and local stakeholders.
  In December of 2016, the Department of Homeland Security issued its 
national Cyber Incident Response Plan, which describes roles and 
responsibilities among stakeholders with respect to preventing, 
disrupting, and responding to a cyber event.
  Additionally, the plan also provides guidance on information sharing 
related to cyber threats.
  H.R. 584 would help facilitate implementation of the National Cyber 
Incident Response Plan by promoting the sharing of cyber threat 
indicators and information, as well as cybersecurity's best practices, 
with State and major urban area fusion centers.
  The bill also designates ``cybersecurity'' as an allowable use of 
State Homeland Security grants and Urban Area Security Initiative 
funds, which would help other States replicate the cyber threat 
information-sharing capabilities developed in New Jersey.
  This is commonsense legislation, passed by the House last Congress, 
and I urge my colleagues to support the measure once again.
  Mr. Speaker, last fall, the range of cyber threats we faced came into 
focus when a foreign government attempted to interfere and undermine 
the integrity of our Presidential election by hacking into the campaign 
and political party databases.
  H.R. 584 includes language to address this threat by directing DHS to 
share cyber threat information regarding election equipment and 
technology with fusion centers.
  H.R. 584 seems to secure our critical cyber networks by improving 
cyber information sharing with fusion centers on the full spectrum of 
cyber threats.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 584, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 584, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 584.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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