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Chris McManes IEEE-USA-Supported Cyber Security Research and Development Act Clears Final Congressional Hurdle and Goes to the President WASHINGTON (15 November 2002) — The Cyber Security Research and Development Act (H.R. 3394), which IEEE-USA has supported since its introduction, passed the lame-duck House of Representatives by unanimous consent Tuesday and will be sent to the President for his signature. “IEEE-USA is pleased to see this bill pass,” IEEE-USA President LeEarl Bryant said. “It will put some of our nation’s best and brightest minds to work protecting against cyber terrorism. We also see advantages for commerce and personal privacy.” The five-year, $902.85 million bill is designed to address the nation’s extraordinary vulnerability to attacks upon computer systems and networks, and the critical national infrastructures that rely upon them (e.g., air traffic control, financial transactions, water systems and electricity grids). It will create new research and education programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to ensure that the United States is better prepared to prevent and combat electronic terrorist attacks. “Homeland security is the be-all and end-all of why we’re back in session right now,” said House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), who introduced the bill last December with colleagues from both parties. “The nation could be brought to its knees, and we’ve got to protect against that.” Research Subcommittee Chairman Nick Smith (R-Mich.) told the press gathering of a recent electronic attack that crippled 13 computer servers that manage Internet traffic. “While this hour-long attack went nearly unnoticed by routine computer users, a longer attack could cripple communication, infrastructure operations and even national security efforts,” Smith said. “We cannot allow attacks like this to happen again.” The proposed legislation is designed to promote more innovative research in cyber security and to attract more senior researchers and students into the field. This will help address the inadequate protection current technology offers, and provide more research and development into better security for computer systems and networks that protect critical aspects of daily life. IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers created in 1973 to promote the careers and public-policy interests of the more than 235,000 electrical, electronics, computer and software engineers who are U.S. members of the IEEE. The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society. For more information, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org.
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November 2002 |