Congress has been busy in 2022 on several fronts outside of technology and cybersecurity. Like 117th Congress ends, 118th As Congress gets ready to take over in early January 2023, here’s a look at some of the most important tech legislation for 2022.
Chips and the Law of Science
The Chips and Science Act, signed into law Aug. 9, aims to expand U.S. semiconductor chip manufacturing domestically and reduce dependence on foreign-made chips.
The legislation has bipartisan support, with the House of Representatives voting 243-187 and the Senate 64-33. Much of the legislation came from the USICA/COMPETES legislation that failed to clear a House-Senate conference committee earlier in the year.
The legislation includes $52 billion in funding to encourage manufacturers to invest in building semiconductor plants across the United States. The law also includes billions for federal research and development and the establishment of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology Administration.
Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed on August 16, aims to help the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rebuild its aging technology systems and networks.
The legislation gives the IRS $80 billion over 10 years for rebuilding, including $5 billion for “business systems modernization” to boost a three-year IT modernization plan that received $275 million in fiscal years. Budget 2022 and a one-time $1 billion in 2021 under the Saving America Act. The IRS’s systems date back to the 1960s and have come under fire from lawmakers concerned about their usability.
The bill passed the House by a narrow vote of 220-207, with many provisions of the legislation addressing non-technological issues such as climate change efforts.
Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Records Transparency Act
The Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Records Transparency Act, signed into law by President Biden on June 23, aims to help increase transparency in the agency’s EHRM system program, which has struggled to develop and deploy.
A key focus of the law is to require VA to provide periodic reports on program metrics such as costs, performance, and outcomes to help keep the program accountable to veterans.
The legislation was introduced last year by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, after serious problems with the program surfaced. “Now that this legislation has been signed into law, we can ensure that VA is providing appropriate transparency in its EHRM implementation process,” the senator said. “This will allow the committee to oversee the deployment process to ensure veterans are receiving the care they deserve and to hold the VA accountable for taxpayer dollars.”
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Extension Act of 2022
The law, signed into law by President Biden on September 30, focuses on strengthening commercial partnerships between the federal government and private firms.
The bill creates a due diligence program that helps weed out applicants to the program who may pose “potential risks” because of foreign ties. According to the White House, the programs set “minimum performance standards for firms that receive a specified number of awards over a specified period of time.”
“America’s innovators, scientists and entrepreneurs will have three more years of confidence as we continue to create opportunities for jobs and equity in our nation’s innovation economy,” said Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casilla Guzman.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Omnibus Budget
On March 15, President Biden signed the bill into law after it passed the Senate and House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
The spending bill included a number of important cybersecurity and technology measures, including increasing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) budget to $2.6 billion.
The project includes, among other things:
- Increase funding for the International Information and Analysis Center by $11 million, bringing funding to $38 million in FY 2022 for the Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which aims to share cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and analysis statewide;
- An additional $20 million to begin building the next-generation 9-1-1 ecosystem program; and
- Funding for next-generation network flagship services increased by $47.6 million.
Supporting the rigorous and innovative cost-effectiveness of the 2021 Federal Acquisition and Procurement (PRICE) Act
Earlier in the year, President Biden signed into law the Fiscal and Innovative Promotion of Effectiveness in Federal Procurement and Acquisition Spending Act of 2021 (PRICE), which aims to promote procurement and procurement practices.
The bill helps increase the number of opportunities for small businesses to collaborate with the Federal government on contracting opportunities; Historically, some agencies have been reluctant to work with smaller organizations. The legislation also requires the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Management to compile and publish an annual report on successful projects using innovative procurement techniques.
Artificial Intelligence Training for Workforce Law
On October 17, President Biden signed into law legislation called the Workforce Acquisition Act aimed at increasing the capabilities of the federal workforce and improving understanding of artificial intelligence technologies.
The legislation requires the Office of Management (OMB) to regularly update its AI curriculum and consult with AI technology scholars and experts to promote best practices.
“When the government buys AI to improve government functions, we need to know that the AI we’re buying actually works and meets ethical and safety standards,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who sponsored the legislation.
Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Readiness Act
The Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, calls for government agencies to implement quantum computing-enabled decryption technology.
The legislation requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to begin transitioning many federal agencies to IT systems suitable for quantum cryptographic protection. The legislation requires the White House to produce a report outlining the federal government’s cryptographic weaknesses and then forward that report to Congress for additional funding needs.
Cyber Incident Report for the Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA))
As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, the Cyber Incident Reporting Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), signed into law on March 15, 2022, requires CISA to create rules for critical infrastructure organizations to report cyber incidents and ransomware payments. . Government.
CISA will benefit from additional attack and ransomware payment reports by better understanding how to deploy resources and provide assistance to attack victims, analyze reports across branches to spot trends, and quickly share with network defenders to alert other potential victims. “said the agency.
In creating the new reporting requirements, CISA was mandated to consult with different agencies, including the Cyber Incident Reporting Council, chaired by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS.
