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Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Madam President, on October 1, critical cyber security protections expired, and, as a result of that, our Nation is now more vulnerable to cyber attacks than ever before. For nearly a decade, businesses and government Agencies have been able to rely on these authorities to share information about cyber attacks and help prevent them from becoming more widespread.

That is why I introduced the bipartisan Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act with Senator Rounds to restore these vital protections. A broad coalition of nearly 80 stakeholders, from healthcare and financial services to energy and utilities, to transportation and technology, support passing this legislation to ensure that they can continue voluntarily sharing information about cyber security threats with the Federal Government.

Here is what a few of them had to say.

The Business Software Alliance said we need to pass this legislation quickly, arguing that ``further delays in renewing this program will only serve to entrench information-sharing silos between government and industry and needlessly set back United States' over all cybersecurity posture.''

The Connected Health Initiative said:

The healthcare ecosystem is uniquely vulnerable to cyber incidents, and the damage caused by them particularly severe--so the reasonable liability protections the legislation would reauthorize are [absolutely] desperately needed to ensure patient security and privacy.

The CEO of USTelecom said:

The Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act reaffirms what has always made our nation's cyber defenses strong: the trusted partnership between industry and government. By reauthorizing key information sharing protections, Congress ensures that private innovation and public stewardship continue to work hand in hand to safeguard our networks, protect our citizens, and reinforce the shared resilience that defines Americans cybersecurity leadership.

The American Bankers Association said:

The information exchanges that this legislation facilitates will significantly enhance the financial sector's ability to respond to large-scale cyber incidents, strengthen our defenses, and safeguard customer data. Allowing these protections to lapse chills threat sharing and impedes rapid response, leaving banks, customers, and the broader economy more vulnerable to adversaries.

Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has weighed in and said:

Lawmakers must quickly reauthorize these cyber information- sharing authorities to give businesses legal certainty and protection against frivolous lawsuits when voluntarily sharing and receiving threat data.

The Alliance of Automotive Information has said:

This policy has worked. And as vehicles get more digital and more connected--and connect to other devices, vehicles, and infrastructure--the cyberattack surface will [only] grow exponentially. We need this landmark law to stay on the books to secure the mobility ecosystem from current and future cybersecurity threats.

The National Association of Manufacturers said:

Sharing information about cyber threats and risk mitigation measures is [absolutely] fundamental to manufacturers' efforts to improve their cybersecurity posture and protect themselves and their customers.

Bottom line: These are just a few of the leaders across key industries who are calling for us to pass this legislation immediately--today. This is about protecting the systems that power our homes and connect our families and keep our economy running. It is about giving our cyber defenders the tools that they need to act fast and to act smart.

Our adversaries are not going to stop their attacks. But without this law in place, many of our Nation's companies and critical infrastructure will be in the dark as they try to defend themselves.

I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation today so we can protect our economy and our entire Nation from the threats of cyber attacks.

As if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 182, S. 2983; that the Peters substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

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