Congressman Neguse's Bill To Strengthen Supply Chain Cybersecurity Passes Committee, Sending It To House Floor

Statement

Today, Congressman Joe Neguse and Congressman Scott Franklin (R-FL) succeeded in passing bipartisan, bicameral legislation through the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that would strengthen supply chain risk management and protect federal agencies from cyber vulnerabilities. Led by Neguse in the House, The Supply Chain Security Training Act was originally introduced by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) in the U.S. Senate.

"Cyber-attacks against American networks not only threaten our global security and military structures, but also endanger our ability to deliver food, water, and other essential resources to our communities," said Congressman Joe Neguse. "By fostering best practices and providing for closer coordination across federal agencies, our bill will equip our nation's cybersecurity workforce with the resources needed to keep all Americans safe from these types of threats. I am incredibly grateful to my colleagues for their support in moving this bill forward and look forward to continued work to get this bill across the finish line."

"Protecting our federal government's supply chain from threats is a critical aspect of our nation's cybersecurity strategy," said Congressman Franklin. "There has been a distinct increase in cyber-attacks targeting supply chain vulnerabilities, but there is no available government-wide training for federal personnel that teaches them how to mitigate these threats. Our bill will help standardize this training and enhance America's cybersecurity posture."

Specifically, The Supply Chain Security Training Act creates a standardized training program for federal employees who are buying equipment and programs to help them recognize products that could undermine the federal government's information security. The Act also directs the Office of Management and Budget to develop guidance for other federal agencies on how to adapt this training program for their own needs and employees.

Recent breaches of the federal government's information systems, have solidified the importance of shoring up our technological supply chains and mitigating cyber-threats before they escalate. Cooperation between the federal government and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments on cybersecurity matters is also crucial to a strong cyber-defense and to safeguarding Americans' personal data.

This is Congressman Neguse's second supply chain bill to gain momentum in both the House and the Senate. Recently, Congressman Neguse also introduced the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act to foster cybersecurity coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and state and local actors, and would encourage the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to share vital security tools and protocols with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. This provision was previously passed in the Senate by Sen. Peters and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH).

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