Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Gary Peters, D-Mich., have proposed a bill to ensure that federal agencies do not purchase counterfeit electronics or information technology products from unauthorized sellers as part of a push to protect U.S. supply chains and cybersecurity.
The Securing America’s Federal Equipment in Supply Chains Act would preclude the head of an agency from using a covered product acquired from an entity other than an authorized seller or an original equipment manufacturer, Cornyn’s office said Thursday.
“This commonsense legislation would require government agencies to only purchase reliable electronics from trustworthy sellers, helping safeguard our cybersecurity from bad actors around the world,” Cornyn said.
The proposed measure would permit the head of an agency to waive the prohibition of a covered product through a written notice to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, provided that the waiver is needed in the interest of national security.
The legislation would require written notice on justification for waivers and direct OMB to submit a congressional report detailing the number and types of covered electronic products for which a waiver was issued.
“The federal government has a responsibility to purchase technology that will help keep Americans’ data secure and strengthen our defense against a potential cyberattack,” said Peters. “This legislation takes an important step towards protecting our national security interests and securing our domestic supply chains.”
