Sen. Paul’s planned departure from Homeland Security panel shakes up cyber policy in 120th Congress

11 to serve as the top Republican on the health committee. “This is welcome news. Senator Paul's concerns with unnecessarily growing government morphed into a tortuous process that prevented needed cybersecurity legislation from getting passed over the last few years,” Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said.

Paul is moving to serve as the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the 120th Congress. As chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee in the current Congress, Paul has blocked legislation from ranking member Gary Peters (D-MI) for a long-term reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 on the Senate floor. The reauthorization is a priority for industry stakeholders, who see the antitrust and liability protections it provides as essential to sharing cyber threat information with the Department of Homeland Security and among each other.

Peters is leaving Congress at the end of the current legislative session, which opens an opportunity for new leadership on the Senate Homeland Security panel on both sides. A Business Software Alliance spokesman told Inside Cybersecurity, “New leadership at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee presents an opportunity to advance a bipartisan agenda to strengthen cybersecurity and modernize federal technology.” “BSA urges the committee to prioritize long-term reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, preparation for post-quantum computing, harmonization of cybersecurity requirements, giving cyber defenders priority access to advanced AI security tools, and updates to FedRAMP, FISMA, and the Technology Modernization Fund,” the spokesman said. Sen.

Maggie Hassan (D-NH) is preparing to serve as chair of the committee, through laying out her priorities and starting to hire new staffers. Hassan is currently the top Democrat on the committee behind Peters. Paul’s departure puts Sen.

James Lankford (R-OK) next in line to serve as Senate Homeland ranking member. Lankford has expressed support for CISA, introducing high-profile bills in 2025 on cybersecurity harmonization and vulnerability disclosure. Lankford announced his plans on Nov.

11 to run for ranking member in a statement. Lankford said, “The Department of Homeland Security is the third-largest federal department, and its work touches the lives of Americans every day. From TSA and CISA to Border Patrol and the United States Coast Guard, the men and women of DHS work to keep America safe on our borders, at sea, and in our skies.

I look forward to highlighting their work and making sure the Department is fulfilling its mission.” Ari Schwartz of the Cybersecurity Coalition highlighted the potential partnership between Hassan and Lankford on cybersecurity. Schwartz said, “Senator Hassan and Senator Lankford have shown important leadership on cybersecurity and a willingness to find areas to find areas of bipartisanship. Senator Hassan has co-sponsored important bills on state and local grants and health care security.” “Senator Lankford co-sponsored important bills on regulatory harmonization and government contractor vulnerability programs.

The Cybersecurity Coalition looks forward to working with both leaders on these and other important cybersecurity priorities next year,” Schwartz said. An industry source also praised Lankford, calling him “an advocate for strong cybersecurity, dating back to his days in the House where he served as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee’s IT Subcommittee.” The source said, “My hope is that he will work well with incoming HSGAC Chair, Sen.