House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection lawmakers have been urged to ratify State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program funding amid the threat of cutbacks as its efficacy is being doubted by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, StateScoop reports.
Adoption of "whole-of-state" cybersecurity has been achieved by states using the SLCGP funding, which has been allocated toward various cyber hygiene measures, said Utah Chief Information Officer and NASCIO Secretary-Treasurer Alan Fuller during the hearing. Such funding was also regarded by Connecticut CIO Mark Raymond to have been critical in helping local governments with limited resources strengthen the cybersecurity posture of critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Louisville, Kentucky City Councilman and National League of Cities Vice President Kevin Kramer recommended that SLCGP not only be reauthorized but also improved with prolonged deadlines, more streamlined eligibility requirements, and a complementary direct funding mechanism. "Cybersecurity is a whole-of-nation challenge. It demands a true intergovernmental partnership," said Kramer.
