Reps. Royce, Engel introduce Cyber Diplomacy Act

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY) recently introduced the Cyber Diplomacy Act, which would create a U.S. international cyber policy and promote working with other countries on promoting this policy.

“The U.S. is increasingly under attack by foreign actors online,” the two Congressmen said in a statement. “Now more than ever, we need a high-ranking cyber diplomat at the State Department to prioritize these efforts and ensure we keep the internet open, reliable and secure. The bipartisan Cyber Diplomacy Act will help counter foreign threats on the internet while promoting human rights and new jobs and economic growth.”

The bill, H.R. 3776, would establish an Ambassador for Cyberspace to lead cyber diplomacy efforts and direct the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to advance United States international cyberspace policy.

It would also create a U.S.-international cyber policy based on democratic policies and seeks to hinder attempts by countries such as Russia and China to control and censor the internet. Related strategies include securing commitments to responsible state behavior and working with foreign governments to advance the policy.

The legislation would also require the State Department to include assessments related to internet freedoms in its annual country report on human rights.