Biden Signs State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act Into Law; Establishes Rotational Cyber Workforce

Fortifying cyber defenses

President Biden signed two cyber-related bills into law yesterday, both of which aim to bolster the cybersecurity capabilities of government entities at various levels.

State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act

The bipartisan State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act (read here) “requires the Department of Homeland Security to increase collaboration with State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments on cybersecurity issues,” including training, awareness, and best practices.

Next up was the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act, which fosters cybersecurity coordination between state and local entities to secure taxpayer’s data privacy – after recent cyber-attacks on hospitals & schools in Colorado, this program is more important than ever. pic.twitter.com/V3pkWfeKZI

— Rep. Joe Neguse (@RepJoeNeguse) June 21, 2022

Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act

The bipartisan Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act (read here) is intended to “attract and retain cybersecurity workers by offering them new professional experiences at different federal agencies,” reported Natalie Alms of FCW, a publication that focuses on the business of federal technology.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who introduced the bill in May 2021, said: “This dynamic rotational program will give our cyber professionals the wide-ranging experience they need to defend us from growing threats abroad.”

When the bill passed the House of Representatives in September 2021, a co-sponsor, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), said: “Cyber security is national security. We’ve all seen just how much damage can be done to our economy and infrastructure when we don’t take it seriously. In fact, just last year 11 federal agencies were hacked by a group affiliated with Russia. Our cyber security challenges are dramatically increasing.”

Last month, Biden also signed another bill into law, aimed at improving data collection on cybercrime for federal law enforcement agencies.

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