[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3918-H3919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             NTIA POLICY AND CYBERSECURITY COORDINATION ACT

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1345) to amend the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration Organization Act to establish the Office of Policy 
Development and Cybersecurity, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1345

       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 ``NTIA Policy and 
     Cybersecurity Coordination Act''.

     SEC. 2. POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND CYBERSECURITY.

       (a) Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity.--Part A 
     of the National Telecommunications and Information 
     Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 106. OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND CYBERSECURITY.

       ``(a) Establishment.--There shall be within the NTIA an 
     office to be known as the Office of Policy Development and 
     Cybersecurity (in this section referred to as the `Office').
       ``(b) Associate Administrator.--The head of the Office 
     shall be an Associate Administrator for Policy Development 
     and Cybersecurity (in this section referred to as the 
     `Associate Administrator'), who shall report to the Assistant 
     Secretary.
       ``(c) Duties.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     oversee and conduct national communications and information 
     policy analysis and development for the internet and 
     communications technologies.
       ``(2) Particular duties.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
     the Associate Administrator shall--
       ``(A) develop, analyze, and advocate for market-based 
     policies that promote innovation, competition, consumer 
     access, digital inclusion, workforce development, and 
     economic growth in the communications, media, and technology 
     markets;
       ``(B) conduct studies, as delegated by the Assistant 
     Secretary or required by Congress, on how individuals in the 
     United States access and use the internet, wireline and 
     wireless telephony, mass media, other digital services, and 
     video services;
       ``(C) coordinate transparent, consensus-based, 
     multistakeholder processes to create guidance for and to 
     support the development and implementation of cybersecurity 
     and privacy policies with respect to the internet and other 
     communications networks;
       ``(D) promote increased collaboration between security 
     researchers and providers of communications services and 
     software system developers;
       ``(E) perform such duties as the Assistant Secretary 
     considers appropriate relating to the program for preventing 
     future vulnerabilities established under section 8(a) of the 
     Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 
     U.S.C. 1607(a));
       ``(F) advocate for policies that promote the security and 
     resilience to cybersecurity incidents of communications 
     networks while fostering innovation, including policies that 
     promote secure communications network supply chains;
       ``(G) at the direction of the Assistant Secretary, present 
     security of the digital economy and infrastructure and 
     cybersecurity policy efforts before the Commission, Congress, 
     and elsewhere;
       ``(H) provide advice and assistance to the Assistant 
     Secretary in carrying out the policy responsibilities of the 
     NTIA with respect to cybersecurity policy matters, including 
     the evaluation of the impact of cybersecurity matters pending 
     before the Commission, other Federal agencies, and Congress;
       ``(I) in addition to the duties described in subparagraph 
     (H), perform such other duties regarding the policy 
     responsibilities of the NTIA with respect to cybersecurity 
     policy matters as the Assistant Secretary considers 
     appropriate;
       ``(J) develop policies to accelerate innovation and 
     commercialization with respect to advances in technological 
     understanding of communications technologies;
       ``(K) identify barriers to trust, security, innovation, and 
     commercialization with respect to communications 
     technologies, including access to capital and other 
     resources, and ways to overcome such barriers;
       ``(L) provide public access to relevant data, research, and 
     technical assistance on innovation and commercialization with 
     respect to communications technologies, consistent with the 
     protection of classified information;
       ``(M) strengthen collaboration on and coordination of 
     policies relating to innovation and commercialization with 
     respect to communications technologies, including policies 
     focused on the needs of small businesses and rural 
     communities--
       ``(i) within the Department of Commerce;
       ``(ii) between the Department of Commerce and State 
     government agencies, as appropriate; and
       ``(iii) between the Department of Commerce and the 
     Commission or any other Federal agency the Assistant 
     Secretary determines to be necessary; and
       ``(N) solicit and consider feedback from small and rural 
     communications service providers, as appropriate.''.
       (b) Transitional Rules.--
       (1) Redesignation of associate administrator; continuation 
     of service.--
       (A) Redesignation.--The position of Associate Administrator 
     for Policy Analysis and Development at the NTIA is hereby 
     redesignated as the position of Associate Administrator for 
     Policy Development and Cybersecurity.
       (B) Continuation of service.--The individual serving as 
     Associate Administrator for Policy Analysis and Development 
     at the NTIA on the date of the enactment of this Act shall 
     become, as of such date, the Associate Administrator for 
     Policy Development and Cybersecurity.
       (2) NTIA defined.--In this subsection, the term ``NTIA'' 
     means the National Telecommunications and Information 
     Administration.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1345, the NTIA Policy and 
Cybersecurity Coordination Act, led by the gentleman from Utah's Third 
District and the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania's Seventh District.
  As our world becomes more increasingly digitized and interconnected, 
the importance of robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. 
Cybersecurity threats, whether originating from State actors, criminal 
organizations, or malicious hackers, pose significant risks to our 
national security, economy, and the privacy of our citizens.
  The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks 
underscore the urgency of addressing this ever-evolving challenge. The 
NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act bolsters our Nation's 
cybersecurity posture by strengthening the coordination between the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, 
and other relevant Federal agency.
  The bill renames the existing NTIA Office of Policy and Analysis and 
Development to the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity and 
codifies the existing activities of the office.
  H.R. 1345 seeks to promote effective information sharing, 
collaboration, and response efforts established in the Secure and 
Trusted Communications Networks Act.
  Moreover, the legislation facilitates public-private partnerships to 
develop and implement cybersecurity policies related to the 
communication networks.
  By encouraging collaboration between government agencies and 
stakeholders, we can work together to address cyber threats and 
vulnerabilities more effectively.
  This bipartisan legislation passed out of the Energy and Commerce 
Committee by a vote of 44-0, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
1345.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1345, the NTIA Policy and 
Cybersecurity Coordination Act.
  Protecting our Nation's communications networks is of vital 
importance

[[Page H3919]]

to our national security. This is particularly important now when a 
significant amount of our country's economic and social activity has 
moved online, and consumers are connecting more devices to these 
networks. We must build in safeguards to increase the safety of 
communications networks to protect Americans while also promoting 
innovation and competition.
  H.R. 1345 will help us achieve these goals. This legislation 
authorizes the existing Office of Policy Analysis and Development at 
the NTIA and renames it as the Office of Policy Development and 
Cybersecurity. It also codifies responsibilities of NTIA in 
administering parts of the Secure and Trusted Communications Network 
Act and requires the office to coordinate and develop policy 
initiatives to enhance cybersecurity efforts with respect to our 
communications networks.
  The office will also be tasked with developing and analyzing policies 
that promote innovation, competition, digital inclusion, and workforce 
development in the communications, media, and technology markets.
  I thank Representatives Wild and Curtis for their bipartisan work on 
this bill, which will ensure that there is a firm foundation within the 
Federal Government to oversee the security of our Nation's 
communications networks.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that 
unanimously advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee early 
this year, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), the sponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the NTIA 
Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act. This bill would streamline 
the development of cybersecurity policy at the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, through the 
establishment of an office of policy development and cybersecurity.
  This office would work with industry and stakeholders to recommend 
the cybersecurity practices and policies of the internet and 
communications technology sectors. The office of policy development and 
cybersecurity would also carry out the communications supply chain risk 
information partnership to facilitate information sharing on 
cybersecurity risks to small and rural communities.
  State and nonstate actors are working overtime to find 
vulnerabilities in our networks and infrastructure. We must work even 
harder to ensure Americans are protected from cyberattacks.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Wild for joining me on this bill 
in the House and Senator Hickenlooper for leading in the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I think this is an important bill, and I 
urge everyone to support it on both sides of the aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher).
  Mr. FULCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1345, the NTIA 
Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act. This bill would promote 
collaboration between security research and industry development, 
preventing and mitigating future software vulnerabilities in 
communications networks.
  It is also important to codify NTIA's administering of information 
sharing established in the Secure and Trusted Communications Network 
Act. The NTIA is assigned with coordinating policy related to the 
cybersecurity of communications networks.
  These attacks on communications networks include those we have all 
heard about: unauthorized access; distributed denial of service; man-
in-the-middle attacks, where communications traffic is intercepted; and 
code attacks, where malicious code can be passed to a server to make it 
vulnerable. This is a serious problem.
  Like the Secure and Trusted Communications Network Act, H.R. 1345 
passed with unanimous, bipartisan support out of the Energy and 
Commerce Committee.
  We need to address cyberattacks in a more effective and coordinated 
fashion to go after the bad actors attacking America's communications 
networks.
  I appreciate the good work of my colleagues, Representatives   John 
Curtis and Susan Wild, and I strongly support this bill.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman just stated, this bill 
encourages collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders 
so that we can work together to address cyber threats and 
vulnerabilities more effectively.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage by the House, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dunn). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1345.
  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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