Cybersecurity Policy Report, CISA Nominee’s Confirmation Will Spur Renewal of Expiring Cyber Laws, Garbarino Says, (Jul 28, 2025)
Swift Senate confirmation of Sean Plankey as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will help ensure the reauthorization of two expiring federal cybersecurity programs, according to Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R., N.Y.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
At a confirmation hearing last week, Mr. Plankey told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that he supported the reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015) and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), which helps state and local governments shore up their cyber defenses (CPR, July 24).
Reauthorization of CISA 2015 and SLCGP are Rep. Garbarino’s top priorities as the new Homeland Security Committee chairman, he said in statement issued late Friday.
“During his nomination hearing yesterday, Sean Plankey demonstrated that he is the right person to lead CISA. If confirmed, he will drive necessary reforms to ensure our nation’s risk advisor succeeds in its statutory mission: protecting our federal civilian networks and critical infrastructure,” Rep. Garbarino said.
“With cyber threats continuing to evolve rapidly and a ticking clock on both CISA 2015 and SLCGP, we cannot allow any further delay in Sean’s confirmation. Every minute without CISA’s top leadership in place puts our security at risk and benefits nation-state sponsored cyber actors like Salt Typhoon,” Rep. Garbarino said.
CISA 2015 and the grant program both expire Sept. 30. The reauthorization of CISA 2015, in particular, is viewed by the private sector as necessary to enable organizations to share cyber threat information with each other and the government without risking legal action. The law provides limited liability protection for information-sharing.
The Senate committee intends to meet Wednesday at 10 a.m. to vote on Mr. Plankey’s confirmation. If the committee advances his nomination, however, a “hold” has been placed by Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) that will prevent a Senate confirmation vote unless the Senate votes to override the hold (CPR, April 10).
Sen. Wyden reiterated today that he would lift the hold if CISA releases a 2022 report on cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the U.S. telecom sector. The report could help policy-makers figure out how to prevent telecom hacks, including the Salt Typhoon cyber espionage campaign, he said.
“The Trump administration might not have been paying attention, so I’ll say it again: I will not lift my hold on Mr. Plankey’s nomination until this report is public,” he said in a statement e-mailed to CPR.
“It’s ridiculous that CISA seems more concerned with covering up phone companies’ negligent cybersecurity than it is with protecting Americans from Chinese hackers,” Sen. Wyden added. “Trump’s administration won’t act to shore up our dangerously insecure telecom system, it hasn’t gotten to the bottom of the Salt Typhoon hack, and it won’t even let Americans see an unclassified report on why it’s so important to put mandatory security rules in place for phone companies.”
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