Rice Introduces Bill Requiring House Members To Get Cyber Security Training

Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from Garden City, introduced a bill this week with Republican John Katko to require all members of the House of Representatives to undergo annual cyber and information security training, just as is already required for House officers and employees.

H.Res. 585, the bipartisan Congressional Cybersecurity Training Resolution of 2017, will require the Chief Administrative Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives to carry out annual information security training for House members, officers and employees. The legislation comes during Cybersecurity Awareness Month and is intended to help ensure that all House Members and staff are fully aware of the rising threat of cyberattacks and have the knowledge and skills they need to protect the integrity of data and information on government systems. New members would be required to undergo this training within 30 days of beginning service to the House, and all members would be required to complete annual training by Jan. 31 of each year.

"We’re facing a constant threat of cyberattacks on American government, political and private-sector systems, and members of Congress have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the systems we use every day," Rice said. "Our employees and House officers are already required to take mandatory information security training, and members should be held to the exact same standard."

You can read the full text of the bill here.

Photo: Kathleen Rice's Office