Bipartisan legislation that would establish an interagency committee to harmonize cybersecurity regulations is getting a second attempt at being signed into law after two senators reintroduced the bill on May 22.
Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and James Lankford, R-Okla., first introduced the Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act last July. However, it failed to receive a full floor vote before the start of the new Congress in January.
The bill would charge the national cyber director (NCD) to lead the harmonization committee – composed of the head of each regulatory agency – which would be tasked by Congress with harmonizing Federal cybersecurity regulations.
At least three of the regulatory agencies would voluntarily lead a pilot program to implement the harmonization framework.
The framework itself would establish a compliance mechanism for regulatory agencies, identify overly burdensome and inconsistent cybersecurity requirements, and develop recommendations for updating regulations and guidance.
After advancing out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) last year – which Sen. Peters had chaired and now serves as the ranking member – the legislation received large support from members of industry and the Biden administration.
Nick Leiserson, the former assistant NCD for cyber policy and programs, had said at the time of the bill’s initial introduction that the legislation would help the Office of the National Cyber Director “better carry out our mission by bringing independent regulatory commissions to the table in a policymaking process.”
The legislation had advanced out of committee with a vote of 10-1, the only vote against it coming from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who now chairs the HSGAC.