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September 24, 2021

House Passes Cyber Incident Reporting Legislation, Critical Cybersecurity and Homeland Security Provisions in NDAA

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, lauded passage of numerous bipartisan cybersecurity and homeland security measures in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (H.R. 4350), which passed the House of Representatives yesterday. 

“I am pleased by the overwhelming bipartisan support in the House for homeland security measures that tackle everything from DHS’ historic morale problems, to human trafficking, to cybersecurity and transportation security,” said Chairman Thompson. “The amendments authorizing mandatory cyber incident reporting and the CyberSentry program - two major cybersecurity priorities - underscore the bipartisan interest in strengthening CISA’s capabilities to support the private sector that is being barraged with more frequent and increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.

“I thank Chairwoman Yvette Clarke, as well as Ranking Member Katko and Ranking Member Garbarino, for their months of working closely with critical infrastructure operators and security researchers on legislation to require covered critical infrastructure entities to report certain cyber incidents to CISA. Once enacted, CISA will be on the path to getting the information it needs to identify malicious cyber campaigns early, gain a greater understanding of the cyber threat landscape, and be a better security partner to its critical infrastructure partners.”

Measures passed:

  • Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure. Passed through a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection & Innovation Subcommittee, Chairman Thompson (D-MS), Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Rep. Andrew Gabarino (R-NY), Ranking Member of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection & Innovation Subcommittee. This provision would require the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish requirements and procedures for covered critical infrastructure owners and operators to report covered cybersecurity incidents to a new Cyber Incident Review Office, to be established within CISA. The Committee previously held a legislative hearing on this legislation this month.
  • CISA’s CyberSentry Program. Passed through a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Reps.  Clarke, Thompson, Katko, and Gabarino. This provision authorizes the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) CyberSentry program.  CyberSentry is a critical Industrial Control System (ICS) cybersecurity program that allows CISA to enter into strategic, voluntary partnerships with priority ICS owners and operators to provide enhanced cyber threat monitoring and detection.
  • Department of Homeland Security Measures. Passed through a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Rep. Thompson and Katko. This provision is comprised of 19 House-passed legislative provisions to strengthen and improve DHS, research and development, cybersecurity, transportation security, and other matters. Legislation included:
    1. H.R. 490 – the DHS MORALE, sponsored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS)
    2. H.R. 370 – the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Technical Corrections Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-NJ)
    3. H.R. 367 – the Homeland Security Acquisition Professional Career Program Act, sponsored by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
    4. H.R. 1850 — the Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act, sponsored by Rep. Kathleen M. Rice (D-NY)
    5. H.R. 2795 — the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, sponsored by Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI)
    6. H.R. 408— the Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protégé Program Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-VA)
    7. H.R. 3263 — the DHS Medical Countermeasures Act, sponsored by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA)
    8. H.R. 3264 — the Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act, sponsored by Rep. John Katko (R-NY)
    9. H.R. 3138 — the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, sponsored by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
    10. H.R. 1833 — the DHS Industrial Control Systems Capabilities Enhancement Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. John Katko (R-NY)
    11. H.R. 2980 — the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act, sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX)
    12. H.R. 3223 — the CISA Cyber Exercise Act, sponsored by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
    13. H.R. 1893 — the Transportation Security Preparedness Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-NJ)
    14. H.R. 1895 — the Transportation Security Public Health Threat Preparedness Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL)
    15. H.R. 1877 — the Security Screening During COVID-19 Act, sponsored by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
    16. H.R. 473 — the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. John Katko (R-NY)
    17. H.R. 1870 — the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. Nannette Diaz Barragán (D-CA)
    18. H.R. 396 — the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act, sponsored by Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY)
    19. H.R. 1871 — the Transportation Security Transparency Improvement Act, sponsored by Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC)

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