Proposed Legislation Eyes Funding for Critical Technology Security Centers

Rep. Ritchie Torres filed Tuesday the Critical Technology Security Centers Act of 2023, a bill that would allocate a budget of $42 million in fiscal year 2024 and up to $52 million by 2028 for the creation of two cybersecurity-focused centers under the Department of Homeland Security. The centers aim to ensure the security of critical government technologies through testing and identification of existing vulnerabilities in the cyber ecosystem, The Record reported.

The legislation was based on a recommendation from the Cyberspace Solarium Commission for the establishment of centers that would test, evaluate and secure technologies that will impact the federal government’s critical infrastructures, a spokesperson from the office of Rep. Torres said.

The bill mandates the DHS to establish, within 180 days, at least two cybersecurity centers to focus on the security of software and hardware technology systems that are frequently targeted by nation-state actors such as supervisory control and data acquisition servers.

While the cybersecurity centers are to be placed within DHS according to the proposed legislation, there is a possibility of moving them to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Torres’ Communications Director Jacob Long said.