Congress Passes Magaziner Provision to Protect Airports from Cyber Attacks

The legislation now heads to President Biden for his signature 

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives gave final passage of Representative Seth Magaziner’s (RI-02) provision to strengthen airport cybersecurity as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act. Magaziner’s provision, adopted as an amendment to the bill with bipartisan support, now heads to President Biden to be signed into law. 

“The most fundamental role of our government is to keep Americans safe, and that’s exactly what this provision does – protecting travelers from cyber attacks by criminals, terrorists, rogue states and other bad actors,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism. 

“I’m pleased that this crucial and potentially life-saving provision was included in the final version of the FAA bill, and I will continue working to secure our homeland and protect our national security.” 

Airports are part of the United States’ critical infrastructure, and cyber attacks can carry widespread consequences for the economy and national security. The exposure of sensitive data, including customers’ personally identifiable information (PII), biometrics, and travel routes can put the safety of travelers at risk. 

Rep. Magaziner’s legislation addresses vulnerabilities that were revealed after cyber attacks on some of our nation’s largest airports. In 2022, over a dozen airport websites were targeted in a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks by a Russian-affiliated hacking group. 

The amendment will unlock $4 billion in annual funding from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program to help airports, including Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport, meet 21st century cybersecurity standards. 

A copy of the amendment can be found HERE.