108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3159
AN ACT
To require Federal agencies to develop and implement plans
to protect the security and privacy of government com-
puter systems from the risks posed by peer-to-peer file
sharing.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Government Network
Security Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Peer-to-peer file sharing can pose security
and privacy threats to computers and networks by—
(A) exposing classified and sensitive infor-
mation that are stored on computers or net-
works;
(B) acting as a point of entry for viruses
and other malicious programs;
(C) consuming network resources, which
may result in a degradation of network per-
formance; and
(D) exposing identifying information about
host computers that can be used by hackers to
select potential targets.
(2) The computers and networks of the Federal
Government use and store a wide variety of classi-
fied and sensitive information, including—
(A) information vital to national security,
defense, law enforcement, economic markets,
public health, and the environment; and
(B) personal and financial information of
citizens and businesses that has been entrusted
to the Federal Government.
(3) Use of peer-to-peer file sharing on govern-
ment computers and networks can threaten the secu-
rity and privacy of the information on those com-
puters and networks by exposing the information to
others using peer-to-peer file sharing.
(4) The House of Representatives and the Sen-
ate are using methods to protect the security and
privacy of congressional computers and networks
from the risks posed by peer-to-peer file sharing.
(5) Innovations in peer-to-peer technology for
government 
applications 
can 
be 
pursued 
on
intragovernmental networks that do not pose risks
to network security.
(6) In light of these considerations, Federal
agencies need to take prompt action to address the
security and privacy risks posed by peer-to-peer file
sharing.
SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS FROM
RISKS OF PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING.
(a) PLANS REQUIRED.—As part of the Federal agen-
cy responsibilities set forth in sections 3544 and 3545 of
title 44, United States Code, the head of each agency shall
develop and implement a plan to protect the security and
privacy of computers and networks of the Federal Govern-
ment from the risks posed by peer-to-peer file sharing.
(b) CONTENTS OF PLANS.—Such plans shall set forth
appropriate methods, including both technological (such as
the use of software and hardware) and nontechnological
methods (such as employee policies and user training), to
achieve the goal of protecting the security and privacy of
computers and networks of the Federal Government from
the risks posed by peer-to-peer file sharing.
(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS.—The head of each
agency shall—
(1) develop and implement the plan required
under this section as expeditiously as possible, but in
no event later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act; and
(2) review and revise the plan periodically as
necessary.
(d) REVIEW OF PLANS.—Not later than 18 months
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
troller General shall—
(1) review the adequacy of the agency plans re-
quired by this section; and
(2) submit to the Committee on Government
Reform of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate a
report on the results of the review, together with any
recommendations the Comptroller General considers
appropriate.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING.—The term
‘‘peer-to-peer file sharing’’ means the use of com-
puter software, other than computer and network
operating systems, that has as its primary function
the capability to allow the computer on which such
software is used to designate files available for
transmission to another computer using such soft-
ware, to transmit files directly to another such com-
puter, and to request the transmission of files from
another such computer. The term does not include
the use of such software for file sharing between,
among, or within Federal, State, or local government
agencies.
(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the
meaning provided by section 3502 of title 44, United
States Code.
Passed the House of Representatives October 8,
2003.
Attest:
Clerk.