Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has introduced a bill that would enhance coordination across the federal government to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities and boost defenses against emerging threats.
The Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act of 2022 would give the National Cyber Director the authority to resolve risk conflicts between agencies that have overlapping cybersecurity jurisdictions and would require penetration testing for moderate to high-risk government systems, Swalwell’s office said.
The bill would also mandate the submission of reports on how agencies take proactive actions, such as the use of deception technologies, to respond to and mitigate unlawful breaches.
“Cybercrime is increasingly putting American families, businesses, and government agencies at serious risk. For too long, we have been addressing vulnerabilities only after a breach occurs,” Swalwell said.
The lawmaker said his bill would put focus on more proactive and innovative cybersecurity approaches to safeguard the nation’s most critical infrastructures.