U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, alongside Senators John Hickenlooper, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and John Curtis, has reintroduced the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act. This bipartisan bill aims to modernize and formalize the NTIA’s role in cybersecurity.
The proposed legislation suggests renaming the NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development to the Office for Policy Development and Cybersecurity. This change is intended to align with the agency’s current mission of securing information and communication technology.
Senator Capito stated, “Cyberattacks and breaches of private data ultimately hurt American consumers, and as technology and the telecommunications industry continues to advance, so do the threats from hackers and bad actors. Provisions must be in place to strengthen NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development, and protect the private information of the public they serve. I’m proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation that takes necessary, proactive steps to develop cybersecurity guidance, identify potential vulnerabilities, and promote collaboration between the public and private sectors with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers.”
In recent years, NTIA has adapted its focus towards cybersecurity due to its increasing importance in critical infrastructure. The senators’ bill seeks to formalize this shift by codifying existing activities while outlining new responsibilities for an Associate Administrator.
The redesigned office would focus on developing cybersecurity policy related to telecommunications, internet services, consumer software services, and public media. It will also provide guidance for implementing cybersecurity measures within internet and telecommunication companies.
Further responsibilities include promoting collaboration between security research entities and industry players; preventing future software vulnerabilities; removing barriers for cybersecurity implementation; understanding investment needs; providing technical assistance on best practices particularly aimed at small or rural communications service providers.
A companion bill has already passed out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the House. Senators Capito and Hickenlooper initially introduced this legislation during the 117th Congress.
Full text of the bill is available online.
