Legislation aimed at addressing security threats to the nation’s supply chain was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) Monday.
The legislation, the Federal Acquisition Security Council Improvement Act, would improve the effectiveness of the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and increase its oversight, the congressmen said. Currently, the federal government depends on technologies often made by companies with connections to foreign adversaries. Some foreign adversary governments use private sector companies to hide their connections to products, they said, which can create security vulnerabilities.
Although the FASC is charged with evaluating risks, the congressmen said, the council has not issued a single order since its creation in 2018. The legislation would make changes to FASC’s membership and strengthen its ability to review potential threats.
“Our foreign adversaries will take every opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities in our supply chain for their own advantage, and that includes through the communications and cybersecurity technologies our federal government purchases,” Peters said. “This bipartisan bill will help improve the security of our supply chain and ensure our nation’s critical information technology is better protected against potential threats.”
The legislation would transfer leadership responsibility for the council from the Office of Management and Budget to the Office of the National Cyber Director. Additionally, the legislation creates a process for Congress to issue designated orders that direct the FASC to investigate sources of concern that Congress deems a potential threat to national security.
“Protecting our federal supply chain is a matter of national security,” Rounds said. “This legislation equips the Federal Acquisition Security Council with the tools it needs to eliminate the risk posed by foreign adversaries like China who seek to infiltrate our critical infrastructure.”