Hirono Supports Landmark Cybersecurity Legislation

Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted to support the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the Senate 74-21.

After the vote, Senator Hirono released the following statement:

“Embracing the promise and vulnerabilities of the Internet age requires a delicate balance between promoting security online and protecting users’ privacy and Constitutional rights. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act strikes that balance in a number of important ways.

“This legislation will help prevent cyber attacks by facilitating a common awareness in the cyber realm. When the private sector has a common view of cyber threats and shares cybersecurity information, companies can more effectively defend their networks. 

“And although the privacy provisions should be strengthened further, the voluntary nature of the bill and the cyber threat awareness it would promote are worthy of support. Consumers deserve to know how their information is used, and maintaining Americans’ privacy remains a key priority as we finalize this legislation.”

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act includes Senator Hirono’s amendment to protect consumer privacy by requiring the federal government to fully implement privacy protections before companies can be shielded from liability for sharing cyber threat information.

As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Hirono successfully fought to cut a provision that would have reduced transparency under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and established a whole new category of exclusions under FOIA. The legislation also will require a provision that Senator Hirono supports requiring the Department of Homeland Security to report on cyber threats to industries that are critical to America’s infrastructure.