US Congress passes cybersecurity bill

Washington, Dec. 21: Congress has passed legislation to fight cyberthreats, pushing the measure through by tucking it into a sprawling government funding bill, after earlier failed attempts. The so- called “omnibus” funding bill, which easily passed in the Senate, also in the process gave congressional approval to the landmark Cybersecurity Act. The measure was approved with blessings from the White House, over objections of privacy activists. Officials with the House Homeland Security Committee said in a statement that the bill would protect America's private sector and federal networks “which are under continuous threat from foreign hackers and cyberterrorists.” Separate versions of the bill were approved earlier this year by the Senate and House of Representatives. Passage of the measure “ensures our federal cyber networks are able to defend against nationstates like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea and terrorist threats,” said Congressman Michael McCaul, chairman of the homeland security panel. “This streamlines the federal government's ability to more effectively identify and thwart cyberattacks,” he said. President Barack Obama would get a victory with the approval after several years of seeking legislation to boost cybersecurity. Previous efforts were bogged down by opposition from activists who feared it would result in excessive government intrusion, and conservatives who argue it would create a new bureaucracy. Obama welcomed the measure, a senior US official said. “The president has long called on Congress to pass cybersecurity information- sharing legislation that will help the private sector and government share more cyberthreat information by providing for targeted liability protections while carefully safeguarding privacy, confidentiality, and civil liberties,” the official said. House intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes said the measure was “vital for protecting America's digital networks,” and added that it was part of a broader effort “giving our intelligence community the tools it needs to identify, disrupt, and defeat threats to the homeland and our infrastructure.” A key element in the legislation would shield private companies from liability if they report or share information about cyber threats.