Senate passes cybersecurity measures

The Senate passed multiple measures directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deal with cybersecurity and anti-terrorism issues.

The three bills were passed by voice vote on Wednesday, while the Senate tries to tie up legislative issues before the end of the year. 

{mosads}S. 2519, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center Act, authorizes the DHS to create an operations center for oversight of critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity. The bill also encourages information sharing about cyber threats between federal, state and local governments.

H.R. 2952, the Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act, directs the DHS secretary to send Congress a strategic plan on federal physical security, and cybersecurity technology research and development efforts. The secretary would also be required to give Congress updates every two years.

H.R. 4007, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Authorization and Accountability Act, re-establishes the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Program within the DHS and authorizes appropriations for the program through 2017.

All three measures head to the House for further action, since amendments were added in the Senate.

— This article was updated at 2:30 p.m.