San Antonio Express News
WASHINGTON — Reacting to a recent spate of hacker attacks, the House voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a $639 million cyber security bill to boost research and development of systems to protect the nation's computer networks.

The bill, which passed 422-5, would provide up to $396 million in research grants to accelerate development of technology and nearly $100 million for scholarship programs to build a larger work force of cyber professionals.

It was seen as a potential boon to states and cities — like Texas and San Antonio — that are lobbying the government for cyber security programs and missions.

The 24th Air Force at Lackland AFB, command headquarters for Air Force cyber system protection, would gain from the bill, said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio.

“With this bill, we can further assist them in their mission to safeguard our critical military cyber data,” he said.

San Antonio also is home to the National Security Agency missions to protect national security systems.

Gonzalez was one of 49 lawmakers whose congressional Web sites were disabled last week by unknown hackers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has ordered a probe to determine who's responsible for the attack.

And President Barack Obama voiced concern after Google, the internet search company, accused China of cyber attacks on its systems last month.

“Every critical infrastructure is tied to cyber networks, whether it be our utilities, power grids, financial institutions, air traffic controllers,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin.

“Virtually every sector is vulnerable,” said McCaul, who sponsored the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009 along with Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill.

There's currently no Senate companion legislation to it, but senators are expected to craft a similar bill this year.

A Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce delegation discussed the bill and other pending legislation this week while in Washington to huddle with Texas members of Congress.

The bill's funding for scholarships would go to students enrolled in cyber security studies. The $396 million for research would cover a four-year period, from 2010 to 2014.

An amendment sponsored by Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, would ensure minority-serving institutions of higher education receive a portion of the grants.

Those schools would include the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Texas at El Paso, St. Mary's University and Our Lady of the Lake University, both in San Antonio.

Rodriguez said the bill would provide the means to “research, train and prepare our communities for threats and attacks.”

Hastings said the amendment is designed to increase the number of women, blacks, Hispanics and other minorities in the cyber security industry.

High-tech and software companies in Austin and San Antonio support the legislation. Texas, one of several states with large numbers of public and private cyber security agencies, competes with California, Massachusetts and Maryland for federal research dollars and cyber security programs.

There's interest in those programs from the University of Texas at Austin and UTSA, said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio.

The bill drew overwhelming, bipartisan support, with only five lawmakers voting against it.