H.R. 1975House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Authorization Act of 2019

Sponsored by John KatkoRep. John Katko (R-NY)
Introduced March 28, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:35 AM UTC

The Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Authorization Act of 2019 creates a new advisory body inside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The committee will advise the agency’s director on policies, programs, rulemaking, training and security directives related to cybersecurity. It includes up to 35 members from state and local governments and a wide range of industry sectors, and it must report its activities and recommendations annually.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of Homeland Security must establish the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee within CISA.
  • The committee can advise, consult, and make recommendations to the CISA director on cybersecurity policies and programs.
  • Members (max 35) are appointed from diverse sectors (e.g., defense, education, finance, healthcare, IT) with no more than three members per sector; terms are two years and members can be reappointed indefinitely.
  • The committee must meet at least quarterly, with at least one public meeting, and submit periodic and annual reports; the director must publish a public version of the annual report and respond in writing to recommendations within 90 days.
  • Subcommittees are created to focus on topics such as information exchange, critical infrastructure, risk management, and public‑private partnerships, meeting at least bimonthly and reporting to the full committee.
  • Members may receive access to protected or classified information only after signing nondisclosure agreements and meeting security requirements; they receive no compensation from the federal government.
  • The Federal Advisory Committee Act does not apply to this committee or its subcommittees.

Legislative Activity

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6 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

September 25, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 28, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

March 28, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.

March 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation.

April 18, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Discharged.

September 25, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

September 25, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

September 25, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 28, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1975

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 28, 2019

Mr. Katko (for himself, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Lipinski) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To establish in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security a Chief Information Security Officer Advisory Committee.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Authorization Act of 2019.

2.

Cybersecurity Advisory Committee

(a)

In general

Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

2215.

Cybersecurity Advisory Committee

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency a Cybersecurity Advisory Committee.

(b)

Duties

(1)

In general

The Advisory Committee may advise, consult with, report to, and make recommendations to the Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security on the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, rulemakings, planning, training, and security directives pertaining to the mission of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

(2)

Recommendations

(A)

In general

The Advisory Committee shall develop, at the request of the Director, recommendations for improvements to the cybersecurity mission of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

(B)

Recommendations of subcommittees

Recommendations agreed upon by the subcommittees established under subsection (d) for any year shall be approved by the Advisory Committee before the Advisory Committee submits to the Director the annual report under paragraph (4) for that year.

(3)

Periodic reports

The Advisory Committee shall periodically submit to the Director—

(A)

reports on matters identified by the Director; and

(B)

reports on other matters identified by a majority of the members of the Advisory Committee.

(4)

Annual report

The Advisory Committee shall submit to the Director an annual report providing information on the activities, findings, and recommendations of the Advisory Committee, including its subcommittees, for the preceding year. Not later than six months after the date that the Director receives an annual report for a year, the Director shall publish a public version of the report describing the activities of the Advisory Committee and such related matters as would be informative to the public during that year, consistent with section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code.

(5)

Feedback

Not later than 90 days after receiving any recommendation submitted by the Advisory Committee under paragraph (2), (3), or (4), the Director shall respond in writing to the Advisory Committee with feedback on the recommendation. Such a response shall include—

(A)

with respect to any recommendation with which the Director concurs, an action plan to implement the recommendation; and

(B)

with respect to any recommendation with which the Director does not concur, a justification for why the Director does not plan to implement the recommendation.

(6)

Congressional notification

For each fiscal quarter beginning after the date of the enactment of this section, the Director shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a briefing on feedback from the Advisory Committee.

(c)

Membership

(1)

Appointment

(A)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall appoint the members of the Advisory Committee.

(B)

Composition

The membership of the Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than 35 individuals, each of whom represent a category referred to in subparagraph (C)(i).

(C)

Representation

(i)

In general

The membership of the Advisory Committee shall include representatives of State and local governments and of a broad range of industries, including the following:

(I)

Defense.

(II)

Education.

(III)

Financial services.

(IV)

Healthcare.

(V)

Manufacturing.

(VI)

Media and entertainment.

(VII)

Chemicals.

(VIII)

Retail.

(IX)

Transportation.

(X)

Energy.

(XI)

Information Technology.

(XII)

Communications.

(XIII)

Other relevant fields identified by the Director.

(ii)

Prohibition

Not more than three members may represent any one category under clause (i).

(2)

Term of office

(A)

Terms

The term of each member of the Advisory Committee shall be two years, but a member may continue to serve until a successor is appointed.

(B)

Removal

The Director may review the participation of a member of the Advisory Committee and remove such member for cause at any time.

(C)

Reappointment

A member of the Advisory Committee may be reappointed for an unlimited number of terms.

(3)

Delegation of responsibilities

A member of the Advisory Committee may delegate that member’s responsibilities under this section to another individual, with the exception of access to protected information and classified information under paragraph (6).

(4)

Prohibition on compensation

The members of the Advisory Committee may not receive pay or benefits from the United States Government by reason of their service on the Advisory Committee.

(5)

Meetings

(A)

In general

The Director shall require the Advisory Committee to meet at least quarterly, and may convene additional meetings as necessary.

(B)

Public meetings

At least one of the meetings referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be open to the public.

(C)

Attendance

The Advisory Committee shall maintain a record of the persons present at each meeting.

(6)

Member access to classified and protected information

(A)

In general

Not later than 60 days after the date on which a member is first appointed to the Advisory Committee and before the member is granted access to any classified information or protected information, the Director shall determine if there is cause for such member to be restricted from reviewing, discussing, or possessing such information.

(B)

Access

(i)

Protected information

If the Director does not restrict a member from reviewing, discussing, or possessing sensitive information under subparagraph (A) and the member voluntarily signs a nondisclosure agreement with respect to protected information, the member may be granted access to protected information that the Director determines is relevant to such member’s service on the Advisory Committee.

(ii)

Classified information

Access to classified materials shall be managed in accordance with Executive Order No. 13526 of December 29, 2009 (75 Fed. Reg 707), or any subsequent corresponding Executive Order.

(C)

Protections

A member of the Advisory Committee shall agree, as a condition of such membership, to protect all classified information in accordance with the applicable requirements for the particular level of classification of such information and to protect all protected information appropriately.

(D)

Protected information defined

In this section, the term protected information means—

(i)

information specifically exempted from disclosure by statute or regulation;

(ii)

trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;

(iii)

deliberative process privileged information;

(iv)

personally identifiable information, the disclosure of which would constitute an invasion of personal privacy;

(v)

records containing law enforcement sensitive information; and

(vi)

other categories of information, as determined by the Director.

(7)

Chairperson

The Advisory Committee shall select, from among the members of the Advisory Committee—

(A)

a member to serve as chairperson of the Advisory Committee; and

(B)

a member to serve as chairperson of each subcommittee of the Advisory Committee established under subsection (d).

(d)

Subcommittees

(1)

In general

The Director and the Advisory Committee shall establish subcommittees within the Advisory Committee to address cybersecurity issues, including relating to the following:

(A)

Information exchange.

(B)

Critical infrastructure.

(C)

Risk management.

(D)

Public and private partnerships.

(2)

Additional subcommittees

In addition to the subcommittees established pursuant to paragraph (1), the Advisory Committee chairperson, in coordination with the Director, may establish within the Advisory Committee additional subcommittees that the Director and Advisory Committee determine to be necessary.

(3)

Meetings and reporting

Each subcommittee shall meet at least bimonthly, and submit to the Advisory Committee for inclusion in the annual report required under subsection (b)(4) information, including activities, findings, and recommendations, regarding subject matter considered by the subcommittee.

(4)

Subject matter experts

The chair of the Advisory Committee shall appoint members to subcommittees and shall ensure that each member appointed to a subcommittee has subject matter expertise relevant to the subject matter of the subcommittee.

(e)

Nonapplicability of FACA

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee and its subcommittees.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2214 the following new item:

2215. Cybersecurity Advisory Committee.

.