Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday Democrats won’t block a pending cybersecurity measure if Republicans provide “assurances” that they can introduce “relevant” amendments to the bill.
The Senate, set to adjourn at the end of the week for a five-week recess, is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to proceed to a measure that would promote information sharing between companies and the government that would stop hacking and other cybersecurity threats.
Republicans hope to finish the bill this week, but they’ll need the cooperation of Democrats, and the limited timeframe could make completions impossible prior to the August recess.
“Democrats will work with Republicans to get on the bill and consider a reasonable number of important amendments,” Reid said in a floor speech. “I hope the Republicans will cooperate on that.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made no promises.
“There will also be an opportunity for members of both parties to offer amendments,” McConnell said in a Tuesday floor speech.
A group of Democrats, backed by privacy watchdog groups, say the bill would open the door to more government surveillance of private electronic communications. They want changes to the bill that would strengthen privacy protections.
Reid said he received a letter Monday by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chris Coons, D-Del., and others, advocating for amendments that “will improve this bill.”
Democrats blocked a cybersecurity measure in June when McConnell attached it to a defense spending measure.
At the time, Democrats said they were willing to debate the cybersecurity measure as a standalone bill.
McConnell pointed to Reid’s assurances in June that the cybersecurity measure could be debated in two days.
“So, with cooperation, we can pass the bipartisan bill this week,” McConnell said.
