The Senate's Cybersecurity Bill Is in Trouble

After a pair of massive cyberattacks compromised the personal information of more than 22 million people, most of whom work or worked for the government, lawmakers saw an opportunity to push for cybersecurity legislation that has been stuck in Congress for years. Despite the calls for urgency, passing a bill won't be easy. \

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, or CISA, a Senate bill intended to facilitate the exchange of cyberthreat information between the private sector and the government, has been dogged by conflict and concerns about overreach, and is falling prey to partisan fights that have nothing to do with the issue. Although the plan was to turn to CISA after the highway bill gets a vote, according to multiple Senate sources, Senators may instead take up a measure that would defund Planned Parenthood -- eating into time the Senate needs to vote on CISA. There's also a possibility that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will send lawmakers home this week after they vote on a highway funding bill, leaving the cybersecurity bill for the fall. "I'm sad to say I don't think that's going to happen," Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) said about a vote on the CISA bill. "I think we're just running out of time."