Congress Advances Cybersecurity Legislation: WIMLWIG Act & PILLAR Act
Congress is pushing forward with cybersecurity legislation. The House Homeland Security Committee has approved the Widespread Information Management for the Welfare of Infrastructure and Government Act (WIMLWIG), a 10-year extension of the 2015 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The new WIMLWIG Act includes updated definitions for key terms and requires the Homeland Security secretary to create an outreach plan within 90 days of passage.
The WIMLWIG Act, among other things, provides incentives for private entities to voluntarily share digital threat intelligence with the federal government. It also updates definitions for artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure, and sector risk management agencies. Notably, the House legislation does not include language barring the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) from combating disinformation online.
The House panel also voted to reauthorize the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, renaming it the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act (PILLAR Act). This would provide funds to eligible states, localities, and tribal governments, with groups receiving 70% federal funding. Both the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program are set to expire on September 30 without congressional action.
Legislation to renew these critical cybersecurity laws is moving through Congress. The WIMLWIG Act, with its updated definitions and outreach plan, aims to strengthen information sharing between the private sector and the federal government. The PILLAR Act, meanwhile, seeks to bolster local cybersecurity efforts with significant federal funding. These acts, if passed, will significantly impact the nation's cybersecurity landscape.
