Bipartisan Bill to Protect Veterans’ Personal Information Heads to President’s Desk

(December 20, 2022) Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) announced that their Strengthening VA Cybersecurity Act passed the Senate on Dec. 19, after previously passing the House, and now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

This bipartisan legislation will protect veterans’ personal information by requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to obtain an independent cybersecurity assessment of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) information systems, and submit to Congress a plan to address the cybersecurity weaknesses found in the assessment.

The bill was endorsed by AMVETS and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“We must do everything we can to protect our veterans’ personal information and medical records,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad Congress has passed our bipartisan legislation to protect the sensitive data for veterans across Nevada and our country, and I look forward to it becoming law soon.”

“The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care to millions of veterans. But a lack of key preparedness and inadequate budget management in cybersecurity has left many of our veterans vulnerable to malicious cyberattacks,” said Senator Blackburn. “This bipartisan legislation is a critical component of the VA’s modernization and security enhancement, and I’m pleased it’s headed to the President’s desk.”