Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Congress Looks to Amend Security Bill

    By
    Caron Carlson
    -
    May 6, 2002
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Eager to make it easier for enterprises to turn over to the government private communications that run over corporate networks, Congress is poised to begin tweaking long-pending legislation that would exempt such communications from public scrutiny under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.

      A House bill, the Cyber Security Information Act, which gives enterprise data of a cyber-security nature an FOIA carve-out, was introduced in 2000 and revived last July—well before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks—but it has been stalled in the chambers judiciary panel over a provision that would protect companies from antitrust liability when sharing private information among themselves.

      To get around the logjam, the bills sponsors, Reps. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Jim Moran, D-Va., plan to delete the antitrust liability protection, which would remove the bill from the judiciary committees purview and leave it in the hands of a government reform panel, where it would have a better chance of gaining approval, said an aide to Davis.

      Enterprises, including Microsoft Corp. and the Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae, lobbied hard to include the antitrust liability safeguard in the FOIA exemption initiative, but it may have to be sacrificed to get the FOIA carve-out passed, the aide said. “We cant let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said.

      Theres no need for enterprises to rush to begin turning over private data, however, because the measure is not at the forefront of the Senates agenda, even if it passes the House this summer, as sponsors expect. A Senate counterpart, sponsored by Sens. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., faces considerably steeper opposition, said House and Senate staffers.

      Most technology-related measures moving through Congress this session have been given a homeland security facet, which is not surprising given that security initiatives account for the largest increase in expenditures in the federal budget.

      “We are going to be spending more money than any time since the 80s defense boom,” Davis said, upon unveiling a proposal last week to spur faster and more thorough IT innovation to promote improved network and infrastructure security. The draft bill attempts to speed the process that technology companies typically endure in efforts to contract with the government.

      “Since [Sept. 11], the government, in general, and the Office of Homeland Security, in particular, have been overwhelmed by a flood of industry proposals offering various solutions to our homeland security challenges,” Davis said. “Because of a lack of staffing expertise, many of these proposals have been sitting unevaluated, perhaps denying the government the breakthrough technology it needs.”

      The bill, introduced last Wednesday, would create a federal interagency team of subject-matter experts to screen and evaluate innovation proposals. It would set up an awards program to finance the research and development of innovative ideas that are not necessarily ready for a government contract. It would also establish a rapid acquisition pilot program to train federal agencies to buy commercial, off-the-shelf products.

      Caron Carlson
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×