[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 127 (Monday, July 20, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4299-S4300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2473. Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. Portman, Mr. King, and Mr.
Sasse) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA
2301 proposed by Mr. Inhofe to the bill S. 4049, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of division A, insert the following:
TITLE XVII--ASSESSING A CYBER STATE OF DISTRESS ACT OF 2020
SEC. 1701. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Assessing a Cyber State of
Distress Act of 2020''.
SEC. 1702. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on
Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives.
(2) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical
infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section
1016(e) of the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
(3) Cyber response and recovery fund.--The term ``Cyber
Response and Recovery Fund'' means a fund intended to support
the response and recovery from a significant cyber incident,
the disbursement of which may be triggered by a declaration
of a cyber state of distress.
(4) Cyber state of distress.--The term ``cyber state of
distress'' means a state of distress that--
(A) begins with a Federal declaration; and
(B) triggers additional financial and material assistance
in responding to significant cyber incidents.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other territory
or possession of the United States.
SEC. 1703. ASSESSMENT OF CYBER STATE OF DISTRESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the head of any agency or non-Federal
entity determined appropriate by the Secretary, shall conduct
an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of
establishing an authority for the declaration of a cyber
state of distress.
(b) Elements.-- The assessment required under subsection
(a) shall include--
(1) a review of recommendations developed by the Cyberspace
Solarium Commission under section 1652(k) of the John S.
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2019 (Public Law 115-232; 132 Stat. 2146); and
(2) the development of additional recommendations relating
to--
(A) the determinations that the Secretary should make and
any other actions that should be taken before the Secretary
is authorized to declare or renew a cyber state of distress,
including whether the declaration or any renewal should
require congressional oversight or approval;
(B) the definition of the term ``significant cyber
incident'', which shall include a consideration of the threat
and scope or magnitude of the impact of such an incident;
(C) the authority for the coordination, including the
extent and type of coordination, of the response of--
(i) Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments,
including the National Guard; and
(ii) private entities;
(D) the appropriate duration of a cyber state of distress
and any renewal of a cyber state of distress;
(E) whether there should be a limitation on the number of
renewals of a cyber state of distress, with or without
congressional oversight or approval;
(F) the interaction, duplication, coordination, and
deconfliction of--
(i) authorities or functions for the preparation for,
response to, or recovery from a significant cyber incident
that the Secretary of Homeland Security recommends granting
or assigning under this paragraph; and
(ii) existing authorities or functions established by law
or policy that may relate to preparing for, responding to, or
recovery from a significant cyber incident, including under
--
(I) the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.);
(II) the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.);
(III) continuity of government plans;
(IV) other national disaster plans; and
(V) any other Federal authority the Secretary of Homeland
Security determines appropriate;
(G) appropriate exemptions from applicable legal
requirements necessary to facilitate activities during a
cyber state of distress;
(H) the scope of any allowable activities--
(i) in preparation for a declaration of a cyber state of
distress;
(ii) during a cyber state of distress; or
(iii) immediately following the termination of the cyber
state of distress;
(I) the scope of any other interaction between Federal
entities and between Federal and non-Federal entities; and
(J) any other aspects of a cyber state of distress that the
Secretary of Homeland Security determines relevant.
SEC. 1704. ASSESSMENT OF CYBER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FUND.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall conduct an assessment of the feasibility and
advisability of establishing a Cyber Response and Recovery
Fund.
(b) Elements.--The assessment required under subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) a review of recommendations developed by the Cyberspace
Solarium Commission under section 1652(k) of the John S.
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2019 (Public Law 115-232; 132 Stat. 2146); and
(2) the development of additional recommendations relating
to--
(A) the administration of a Cyber Response and Recovery
Fund;
(B) the eligibility of entities that may receive direct or
indirect support under a Cyber Response and Recovery Fund,
including eligibility for the receipt of direct or indirect
support by--
(i) Federal entities;
(ii) State, local, and Tribal governments;
(iii) owners and operators of critical infrastructure; and
(iv) private sector entities that are not owners or
operators of critical infrastructure;
(C) allowable expenses for a Cyber Response and Recovery
Fund;
(D) whether any entity receiving funds from the Cyber
Response and Recovery Fund should be required to match funds
or reimburse any funds to the Cyber Response and Recovery
Fund;
(E) with respect to funding available for the response to,
and recovery from a significant cyber incident, the
interaction, duplication, coordination, and deconfliction of
that funding, or applications for that funding, provided--
(i) from a Cyber Response and Recovery Fund; or
(ii) under--
(I) the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.);
(II) the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.);
or
(III) any other Federal grant program relating to
cybersecurity or natural disaster response or recovery.
SEC. 1705. BRIEFING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall provide a briefing to each appropriate congressional
committee on the assessments carried
[[Page S4300]]
out by the Secretary of Homeland Security under sections 1703
and 1704 that includes--
(1) the findings from the assessments; and
(2) legislative proposals for the establishment of--
(A) an authority for the declaration of a cyber state of
distress; and
(B) a Cyber Response and Recovery Fund.
(b) Format.--Each briefing required under subsection (a)--
(1) shall be completed in a manner that is unclassified;
and
(2) may include a classified component.
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