House Approves Bill Creating National Cybersecurity Agency

What happened

The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 9605, the "National Cybersecurity and Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 2026," on Aug. 12. The measure creates the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA) under the Office of the President, absorbing the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybersecurity Bureau. It mandates cybersecurity requirements for government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and suppliers, including risk assessments every three years and ransomware disclosure.

Why it matters

This legislation establishes the NCSA as the primary government body for cybersecurity policy and coordination. It aims to protect critical infrastructure and government systems by enforcing strict standards, incident reporting, and penalties for violations, while balancing these measures with human rights protections.