Cyber Security Bill fails to pass U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate failed to garner the sixty votes needed to end debate on the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 and move it forward for a final vote. The vote was 52 in favor and 46 against. Senate is scheduled to take a month long break in August and will convene again only in September.

The Obama administration claims the Act is critically important in ensuring national security and protection of the electrical grid, water supply, and other parts of crucial infrastructure from cyber attacks as well as espionage.]

Obama along with top security officials have repeatedly warned that the U.S. is vulnerable to cyber attacks and both have urged speedy passage of the act. The bill has been amended to meet some Republican concerns but they remain opposed to the bill along with the U.S Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber claims that the bill would lead to mandatory government regulations that would impose costs on private industry with little benefit in the way of increased security. The Republican position echoes those complaints. However, the Republicans further irritated Democrats by trying to tack on irrelevant amendments such as repeal of Obamacare!

Democratic Senator Al Franken and several others were concerned that privacy protections be added to the bill. As it is now the bill allows both Internet providers and other Web businesses to spy on their customers. They can also share information from the spying with the government. No warrant is required for this spying. The bill would also not allow customers to sue for damages caused by this spying. As usual government intrusion into people's lives is justified as necessary for national security.

Certainly cyber intrusions are increasing. According to Senators Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman who are co-sponsors of the act cyber incursions in critical industries rose from 50 in 2010 to 200 in 2011. While protection may be needed against cyber attacks protection needs to be added as well for attacks on people's privacy. For more see this article.

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New bill threatening U.S. privacy rights passes U.S. House

While the first attempt to violate privacy rights of Americans called SOPA was withdrawn, it has now come back as CISPA( Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act). Opponents have already called it SOPA2. The new act was supposed to address concerns expressed by critics of the first bill.

Not only does the new bill not solve those concerns an amendment actually makes the new bill broader in its application. A large number of organizations and individuals oppose the bill. See this site and also here.

The bill passed in the house by a vote of 248 to 168, not even close. The bill will now go to the senate. There needs to be a lot more opposition before the bill will be withdrawn again. Although the bill strengthens information sharing it also encourages the intelligence community to collect more information on U.S. citizens whenever they think this could possibly enhance national security.Critics expected this new bill to reduce the authority to snoop and to make companies liable for illegally providing the government with information. An amendment did not do this but actually broadened grounds that government could use to collect information.

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) condemned passage of the bill and expects that by the time the bill reaches the Senate there will be more popular opposition. Although there is no date for the bill to be debated in Senate, some fear that the bill might be quickly introduced and debated to avoid scrutiny. For more see this article