U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District voted today in support of legislation to address the evolving cyber threats facing the nation.
The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act passed with wide bipartisan support. Luján is a cosponsor of the legislation that includes provisions he worked on last Congress to enhance the role of the national laboratories, to encourage the rapid transfer of research and development advances into new commercial cybersecurity technologies, and to improve consumer privacy protection.
“As our country and our economy increasingly rely on smart technologies that control our infrastructure and are integral in the latest innovations, it is critical that we continue to enhance our cybersecurity capabilities,” Luján said. “This legislation takes important steps that will help protect and defend assets and information in cyberspace by increasing coordination across the federal government and ensuring that cybersecurity research and development will continue and be improved.”
The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act strengthens agency coordination and cooperation on cybersecurity research and development efforts while providing strategic planning for federal cybersecurity R&D plans across the federal government.
It also reauthorizes existing research and education programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) for three years and enhances the NSF cybersecurity scholarship program to increase the size and skills of the cybersecurity workforce.
In addition, the bill puts in place a university-industry task force to explore possible options for carrying out public-private cybersecurity research partnerships.
