House Freshman Champions Bill to Bolster Cyber Security for Small Business Administration

WASHINGTON – Earlier this month, freshman Rep. Jason Crow, D-Col., had the pleasure of seeing one of his first pieces of legislation passed unanimously in the House by a voice vote.

Crow’s SBA Cyber Awareness Act requires the Small Business Administration to issue a report assessing its ability to combat cyber threats.

Co-sponsored by Representatives Troy Balderson, R-Ohio, Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, and House Small Business Committee Chair Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., the bill requires the SBA to explain its strategy for improving its cyber security, and to disclose both the equipment it has bought from China and any attempted cyber intrusions it has experienced.

Recognizing that a cyberattack to the agency could put the sensitive information and intellectual property of small businesses at risk, the bill also requires SBA to notify Congress of future breaches with information on those affected and how the breach occurred.

“Cyber attacks have the ability to shut down small businesses and destabilize our economy. This bill helps protect millions of small businesses served by the SBA and puts them on the best footing possible to deal with our 21st century threats,” Rep. Crow said. “I’m proud to have such strong bipartisan support for this bill and to deliver for the millions of small businesses that are the backbone of our economy.” 

“American small businesses have increasingly become the targets of cyber criminals, yet seldom have the resources to adequately defend themselves,” Rep. Balderson said. “In our rapidly-developing digital age, a threat to small businesses’ online security is a threat to their vitality.”

The bill is Rep. Crow’s first standalone bill to get a vote in the House. Companion legislation, S. 772 in the Senate, was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in March and enjoys bipartisan support.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.