Washington, D.C. – Two bills cosponsored by U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) to enhance cybersecurity resources for small businesses and increase Congressional oversight of the Small Business Administration (SBA) passed the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship today. The Small Business Cyber Training Act and the SBA Cyber Awareness Act would make cybersecurity assistance available to small business owners and ensure the SBA is disclosing cyber breaches to Congress.

“The majority of data breaches occur in businesses with fewer than 100 employees, making it so important for our nation’s small businesses to be prepared,” said Senator Risch, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “These bills will improve the resources available to entrepreneurs so they can best protect their assets, customers and employees and ensure Congress can provide oversight of the SBA’s cybersecurity.”

The Small Business Cyber Training Act requires the SBA to develop a cybersecurity counseling and training program through the nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers to help small business owners prepare for cyber threats and recover when a cyber-attack occurs. The SBA Cyber Awareness Act would require the SBA to develop an internal cyber strategy and produce a report to Congress on any past or present cyber breaches, specifically stating if any of the agency’s Information Technology software was manufactured by China.