PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 36 · Passed House amended · Jul 30, 2008
Homeland Security Network Defense and Accountability Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to delegate to the Department's Chief Information Officer (CIO) authority for the development, approval, implementation, integration, and oversight of DHS policies, procedures, activities, funding, and systems relating to information management and information infrastructure.
Lists CIO qualifications (including at least five years of executive leadership and management experience in information technology and information security) and functions (including establishing an incident response team).
(Sec. 3) Directs the CIO to establish, oversee the deployment of, and regularly update security control testing protocols that ensure that DHS's information infrastructure is effectively protected against known attacks and exploitations of federal and contractor information infrastructure.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 4) Requires the Inspector General to conduct performance and programmatic reviews of DHS's information infrastructure to determine the effectiveness of its security policies and controls. Requires programmatic reviews to: (1) determine whether a DHS component is complying with policies, processes, and procedures established by the CIO; and (2) focus on risk assessment, management, and mitigation, with primary regard to the implementation of best practices such as authentication, access control (including remote access), intrusion detection and prevention, and data protection and integrity. Directs the Inspector General to submit a security report on each review that includes prioritized recommendations for improving security controls, including recommendations regarding funding changes and personnel management, to the Secretary, CIO, and head of the DHS component. Requires: (1) the DHS component head and the CIO to jointly submit a corrective action report to the Secretary and the Inspector General; and (2) the Inspector General to submit an annual report to the House and Senate homeland security committees.
(Sec. 5) Defines "information infrastructure" under such Act as systems and assets used in processing, transmitting, receiving, or storing information electronically.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary, before entering into or renewing a covered contract and acting through the CIO, to determine that the contractor has an internal information systems security policy that complies with DHS information security requirements. Sets forth contract requirements regarding security and subcontracting, including requiring the contractor to: (1) provide contracted services on a continuing basis to DHS in the event of an unplanned or disruptive event; (2) deliver timely notice of any internal computer incident that could violate or threaten computer security policies, acceptable use policies, or standard security practices at DHS to the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team and the incident response team; and (3) develop and implement a plan for the award of subcontracts to small business and disadvantaged business concerns.
Directs the Secretary to report to the House Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on: (1) progress in implementing requirements issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for encryption, authentication, Internet Protocol version 6, and Trusted Internet Connections; (2) a plan to investigate breaches against DHS's information infrastructure for purposes of counterintelligence assessment, attribution, and response; (3) a proposal to increase threat information sharing with contractors and provide specialized damage assessment training to private sector information security professionals; and (4) a process to coordinate DHS's information infrastructure protection activities.
(Sec. 7) Provides that nothing in this Act shall affect the application of the Federal Information Management Security Act of 2002 to DHS.
People & committees
Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2] · D–RI
Legislative record
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Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 7/29/2008 H7176-7178)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR 7/29/2008 H7176-7178)
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7596)
At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Bilirakis objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5983.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7176-7180)
Mr. Thompson (MS) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 496.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 110-777.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 110-777.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E842-843)
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.5983 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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