Rounds Statement on Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Protect South Dakotans from Cyber Threats

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on today’s passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). It passed the Senate with bipartisan support, 74-21.

“The World Wide Web is a wonderful tool that has helped us stay connected with loved ones, pay our bills, shop with ease and explore new ideas from the comfort of our homes,” said Rounds. “But we must also be mindful of those who use the Internet to scam others and steal private information. The bipartisan cyber security bill we passed in the Senate today will help protect Americans from such cyber-attacks by allowing companies to share information about cyber-threats to prevent other businesses from falling victim to similar threats. It does so while protecting Americans’ private information from being shared and is 100 percent voluntary. With all the information we put on the Internet today, it’s important that we take steps to protect ourselves online. CISA contains the tools to help mitigate these threats.”

The companion bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. CISA is supported by President Obama and has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.