Description:
H.R. 1158 would codify the establishment of hunt and incident response teams (HIRTs) under the authority of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the bill, HIRTs would continue to provide assistance to federal and nonfederal entities affected by malicious cyber activity. The bill also would require the NCCIC to report to the Congress on HIRT operations at the end of each of the first four fiscal years following the bill’s enactment. On the basis of information from DHS and considering information about similar reporting requirements, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1158 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2019-2024 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. On February 19, 2019, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 315, the DHS Cyber Hunt and Incident Response Teams Act of 2019 as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The two bills are similar and CBO’s estimates of their costs are the same.
