Short Takes – 1-18-25

Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem bashes CISA, says agency must be 'smaller, more nimble'. TheRecord.media article. Pull quote: ““CISA needs to be much more effective, smaller, more nimble, to really fulfill their mission,” Noem said. “The mission of it is to hunt and harden. It's to find those bad actors and help work with local and state critical infrastructure entities so that they can help them be prepared for such cyberattacks.”

As a TikTok ban looms, lawmakers are already grappling with unintended consequences. Politico.com article. Pull quote: ““You cannot have a site-by-site or app-by-app approach to the Chinese strategy to infiltrate American homes with their technology,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “So you’re going to have to make a broader decision about how comfortable we are with China penetrating into the lives of Americans.””

Eggs are about to get even more expensive, expert says. Here’s how much. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon require all eggs sold in their states to be cage-free, and that’s driving up prices even further in those states. Because the flu is spread through the droppings of wild birds as they migrate past farms, allowing chickens to roam freely actually puts them at greater risk of catching the virus, said Chad Hart, a professor and agricultural economist at Iowa State University.”

ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program. Federal Register NHTSA notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “This document proposes a voluntary framework for the evaluation and oversight of motor vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS). The ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP) would establish a national program for ADS-equipped vehicles that operate or may operate on public roads in the United States under NHTSA's oversight with the goal of improving public transparency related to the safety of certain ADS-equipped vehicles, while allowing for responsible development of this technology. This proposal includes procedures for application, participation, public reporting, and program administration. It identifies content requirements for applications, including independent assessments of ADS safety processes, such as the safety cases used and conformance to industry standards. These application requirements will inform NHTSA's decisions on terms and conditions for participation. The proposal also contains reporting requirements for participants, including periodic and event-triggered reporting.”

Strengthening and Promoting Innovation in the Nation's Cybersecurity. Federal Register Executive Order 14144 – Policy: “Adversarial countries and criminals continue to conduct cyber campaigns targeting the United States and Americans, with the People's Republic of China presenting the most active and persistent cyber threat to United States Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks. These campaigns disrupt the delivery of critical services across the Nation, cost billions of dollars, and undermine Americans' security and privacy. More must be done to improve the Nation's cybersecurity against these threats.”