Cybersecurity Policy Report, Cyber Threat Info-Sharing Law Extension Blocked Again in Senate, (Oct 8, 2025)
An effort to reauthorize the provisions of a cyber threat information-sharing law that expired Sept. 30 was blocked in the Senate yesterday by Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
It was the fifth time in recent weeks that Sen. Paul blocked a unanimous consent request that would have resulted in Senate passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Extension Act (S 1337) (CPR, Oct. 6).
S 1337, introduced by Sen. Gary Peters (D., Mich.), ranking member of Sen. Paul’s committee, would extend the provisions of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015) through 2035. When CISA 2015 expired, private-sector entities lost legal protections that were enacted to encourage them to share cyber threat information among themselves and with the federal government.
Sen. Peters has made four unanimous consent requests to adopt S 1337. Yesterday, Sen. Angus King (I., Maine) took a turn.
“We are in an ongoing, serious, and debilitating conflict in the world of cyber. It is one of the most serious threats this country faces. In fact, right at this moment, it is probably the most serious threat this country faces from nation-states, from hacktivists, from ransomware, from crooks around the world,” Sen. King said.
“Imagine for a moment a shot isn’t fired, but the financial system collapses, water systems are poisoned, the electrical system is down, the gas pipeline system is compromised, healthcare [and] hospitals are down,” he said.
“By not moving this bill, we are unilaterally disarming in the midst of this crisis,” he added. “I don't understand why the gentleman from Kentucky is objecting.”
Sen. Paul didn’t explain his objection yesterday, but he has sought to tie CISA 2015 reauthorization to legislation that would prohibit federal agencies from engaging in efforts to flag online mis- and disinformation (CPR, Sept. 16).
“I understand the chairman of the committee has some other items that he would like to consider,” Sen. King noted.
“I urge him to bring those issues before the committee, bring a bill to the floor, and they can be considered,” he added. “But don’t, in the meantime, hobble our ability to protect our citizens and entities, people and companies and businesses and our own government, from these ongoing attacks.”
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