Bipartisan legislation led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to reauthorize the National Computer Forensics Institute, which provides training to state and local law enforcement agencies, passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday night. The National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 builds on the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017, which authorized the NCFI and was authored by Grassley and Feinstein.
“Digital forensics is becoming more critical than ever in uncovering evidence that can help solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. The improvement of technology helps law enforcement stay better connected, more organized and even more productive in solving crimes. Since 2008, more than 18,000 people have been trained at the National Computer Forensic Institute to do just that, and 68 percent of those have been trained in the last five years. It’s clear that the legislation that we sponsored in 2017 has enabled the institute to do a lot of good, and our bill will help it continue to do so,” Grassley said.
“NCFI helps train law enforcement across the country to strengthen and improve digital investigations. With more and more crimes involving computers or technology in some way, NCFI ensures that law enforcement agencies have the resources and skills necessary to investigate computer crimes. I thank my Senate colleagues for passing our legislation to reauthorize this program,” Feinstein said.
The NCFI has trained law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges from more than 2,000 state and local agencies across the United States, including nearly 30 in Iowa.
The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
Republished courtesy of Chuck Grassley.