Cybersecurity Bill Blocked

The Senate is blocking passage of legislation that would increase information sharing among private entities, and between the commercial sector and the government about cyber threats. The bill would require the director of national intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, and the Department of Justice to work together to create procedures for the timely sharing of classified and declassified cyber threat indicators with private entities and lower levels of government, and for sharing unclassified indicators with the public. It also would allow private companies to share cyber threat indicators or defensive measures with each other or the government for cyber?security purposes, among other measures. In addition, the bill would eliminate the government’s ability to use cyber threat information to investigate and prosecute non-cyber crimes. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the bill’s original cosponsors, said Senate Democrats are “putting this nation in danger by not allowing the United States to act against a very real threat to our very existence.” The bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), was approved by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in March by a vote of 14 to 1.