While the Democrats in the Senate wrestle to achieve enough votes to pass President Biden’s nearly 1,700-page social spending-oriented Build Back Better Bill, much funding earmarked for cybersecurity hangs in the balance. Another signature piece of legislation that the White House seeks to enact, the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which has passed both the House and Senate, also gives a substantial funding boost to several cybersecurity efforts.
Combined, both bills would bring nearly $2.5 billion of increased government funds to many cybersecurity initiatives. Among the cybersecurity spending goals across both bills are $1 billion to help state and local governments raise their cybersecurity defenses, $100 million for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) to advance cybersecurity awareness, and much more.
It’s not clear if or when either bill would pass. The infrastructure bill is now on hold pending the resolution of lingering issues among progressive Democratic lawmakers who think the legislation doesn’t go far enough in achieving their goals. Likewise, the Build Back Better Bill faces stiff resistance from…
