Hirono Comments on Cybersecurity Act

Senator Mazie Hirono voted in support of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act on Tuesday.

The act passed with a 74-21 vote.

Senator Hirono, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, noted the importance of embracing the promise and vulnerabilities of the Internet age, with emphasis on a delicate balance between promoting online security and protective privacy and Constitutional rights.

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

“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.”

Under the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, 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.