Cybersecurity Programs Set to Expire: Senate Deadlock Raises Concerns
Two critical federal cybersecurity programs, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA 2015) and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, are set to expire on Wednesday. The House Homeland Security Committee has advanced bills to renew these efforts, but the Senate remains stalemated, raising concerns about potential gaps in cyber defense.
The House Homeland Security Chairman, Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), warned that losing these programs would disable two crucial tools to combat evolving cyber threats. CISA 2015, enacted in 2015, allows industries to share threat data with other organizations and the federal government, enhancing collective defense. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, established in 2018, provides funding to states and localities to bolster their cybersecurity capabilities.
Short-term extensions for both programs were attached to a stopgap government funding measure. However, this measure has also stalled in the Senate, with no clear indication of who is preventing the extension. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) criticized Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for not taking up the reauthorization, while Sen. Paul accused Sen. Peters of 'fake outrage' and noted that he had a chance to vote for a continuing resolution that extended these authorities but did not.
Without the renewal of these programs, there could be less threat information sharing and reduced cybersecurity, potentially impacting the day-to-day lives of Americans, according to Nitin Natarajan, former No. 2 at CISA. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) blamed Republicans for not passing the reauthorizations, stating that they could have done so if they cared more about protecting Americans from cyber attacks. As the expiration deadline looms, lawmakers must work together to renew these critical cybersecurity efforts and ensure the nation's digital safety.
