The Senate voted 84-11 Thursday to proceed to debate,
amendment and a vote on the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (S. 3414).
Only 60 votes were needed, but bill opponents had said they
were ready to support the cloture vote shutting off debate and bringing the
bill to the floor. That came after Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
agreed to an open amendment process.
The bill, as currently constituted, provides for voluntary
cybersecurity standards, but also authorizes agencies that regulate critical
infrastructure -- like the FCC -- to codify and enforce those standards.
Republican opponents of the bill say that removes any semblance of voluntary.
It also allows for information sharing among industry players, with antitrust
and liability carve-outs, and gives ISPs authority to monitor traffic and take
countermeasures.
