National Cybersecurity Protection Act of 2014
Public Law 113-282 · S. 2519 · 113th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Dec 18, 2014 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Thomas Coburn
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
National Cybersecurity Protection Act of 2014 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a national cybersecurity and communications integration center in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to carry out the responsibilities of the DHS Under Secretary responsible for overseeing critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and related DHS programs.
Requires the center to be the federal civilian interface for sharing cybersecurity risks, incidents, analysis, and warnings for federal and non-federal entities. Directs the center to: (1) enable real-time, integrated, and operational actions across federal and non-federal entities; (2) facilitate cross-sector coordination to address risks and incidents that may be related or could have consequential impacts across multiple sectors; (3) conduct and share analysis; and (4) provide technical assistance, risk management, and security measure recommendations.
Directs the center to ensure: (1) continuous, collaborative, and inclusive coordination across sectors and with sector coordinating councils, information sharing and analysis organizations, and other appropriate non-federal partners; (2) development and use of technology-neutral, real-time mechanisms for sharing information about risks and incidents; and (3) safeguards against unauthorized access.
Provides the Under Secretary with unreviewable discretion as to whether governmental or private entities are included in the center or are provided assistance or information.
(Sec. 4) Requires the DHS Secretary to submit to Congress recommendations regarding how to expedite implementation of information-sharing agreements for cybersecurity purposes between the center and non-federal entities.
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to report annually to Congress concerning: (1) the number of non-federal participants, the length of time taken to resolve requests to participate in the center, and the reasons for any denials of such requests; (2) DHS's information sharing with each critical infrastructure sector; and (3) privacy and civil liberties safeguards.
(Sec. 6) Requires a Comptroller General (GAO) report on the effectiveness of the center.
(Sec. 7) Directs the Under Secretary to develop, maintain, and exercise adaptable cyber incident response plans to address cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure.
Requires the Secretary to make the application process for security clearances relating to a classified national security information program available to sector coordinating councils, sector information sharing and analysis organizations, and owners and operators of critical infrastructure.
Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure that data breach notification policies require affected agencies, after discovering an unauthorized acquisition or access, to notify: (1) Congress within 30 days, and (2) affected individuals as expeditiously as practicable. Allows the Attorney General (DOJ), heads of elements of the intelligence community, or the Secretary to delay notice to affected individuals for purposes of law enforcement investigations, national security, or security remediation actions.
Requires OMB to assess agency implementation of data breach notification policies.
(Sec. 8) Prohibits this Act from being construed to: (1) grant the Secretary any authority to promulgate regulations or set standards relating to the cybersecurity of private sector critical infrastructure that was not in effect on the day before the enactment of this Act, or (2) require any private entity to request the Secretary's assistance or to implement any recommendation suggested by the Secretary in response to such a request.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.
- Dec 18, 2014Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 113-282.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 12, 2014FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 11, 2014FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2519.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. McCaul moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Dec 10, 2014FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · The committee reported amendment was withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jul 31, 2014CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 526.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Carper with an amendment. With written report No. 113-240.
- Jun 25, 2014CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- Jun 24, 2014CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 3999SenateSen. Thomas CarperD-DE· offered Dec 10, 2014Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Dec 10, 2014: Amendment SA 3999 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.