Reps. Jim Langevin (D-Rhode Island) and John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) have introduced bills that seek to facilitate research and development collaboration in cybersecurity between the U.S. and Israel.The proposed United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2016 seeks to establish a grant program for joint cybersecurity R&D projects, Langevin’s office said in a statement released Thursday.
Under this proposed legislation, the Department of Homeland Security secretary will subject grant applications to a peer-review process based on research requirements set by DHS and an advisory panel to be composed of members from existing partnerships, including the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation.
The proposed United States-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016 aims to advance the development and commercialization of cybersecurity platforms through collaboration between DHS and Israel’s public security ministry.
Langevin and Ratcliffe proposed the bills two months after congressional delegates traveled to Israel to discuss cyber threats faced by both countries.
The U.S. and Israel also signed in June an agreement that seeks to expand cyber defense collaboration through cyber threat information sharing.
