Bill to strengthen collaborative cybersecurity initiatives between U.S. and Israel signed into law

A bill, authored by U.S. Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and John Ratcliffe (R-TX), to strengthen collaborative cybersecurity research initiatives between the United States and Israel was signed into law last week.

The bill, titled the United States-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016, was introduced after the House members returned from a congressional delegation trip to Israel that focused on address cybersecurity threats facing both nations.

Specifically, the legislation would expand a binational research partnership at the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency to include cybersecurity technologies. The partnership would help products through the so-called “valley of death” between early-phase research and commercialization of the product.

“Cybersecurity is the national and economic security challenge of our time, and we must use every resource at our disposal to support research, foster innovation, and fortify our cyber defenses,” Langevin said. “Passage of this law will enhance cybersecurity for the United States and Israel, putting us on a shared path toward innovative solutions to the threats we face.”

Prior to the bill’s consideration, the House members met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Moshe Ya’alon.

“When Rep. Langevin and I traveled to Israel earlier this year, our discussions with Israeli national security and cybersecurity leaders revealed the immense wealth of untapped potential we can leverage together to collectively vamp up our efforts to combat growing cyber threats,” Ratcliffe said. “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with a country that’s a proven pioneer in cyber science and a top leader in cyber expertise.”