Senate Panel Easily Passes Cybersecurity Bill

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence easily passed a bill that encourages -- but doesn’t require -- companies to share information about cyberattacks with each other and the federal government, responding to a growing prevalence of data breaches at large US companies. The 14-1 vote was the first step in what is likely to be a lengthy battle this year over how to prod firms, many of which are skeptical of government data collection, to collaborate more with federal officials to deter attacks.

Some changes to the bill were made during the vote, though the precise details weren’t shared. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), told reporters that 15 privacy amendments were offered during debate and 12 were accepted “in whole or in part.” The Senate intelligence panel vote, per custom, was held behind closed doors so the public wasn’t privy to debate or discussion. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) was the only lawmaker to vote against the bill, issuing a statement that said the measure “lacks adequate protections for the privacy rights of American consumers, and that it will have a limited impact on US cybersecurity.”