80 FR 21254 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 74 (April 17, 2015)

The President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Washington, DC. The meeting will be partially closed to the public.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 74 (Friday, April 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21254-21255]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08818]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2015-0002]


President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee Meeting

AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: Committee management; notice of partially closed Federal 
Advisory Committee meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory 
Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Washington, 
DC. The meeting will be partially closed to the public.

DATES: The NSTAC will meet in a closed session on Wednesday, May 6, 
2015, from 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and in an open session on Wednesday, 
May 6, 2015, from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Eisenhower Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC. Due to limited seating, requests to attend in 
person will be on a first-come basis and the public portion of the 
meeting will be streamed via webcast at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live, 
as an alternative option. All those who wish to attend, please send an 
email to [email protected] or call Suzanne Daage at 703-235-5461, to 
register for this meeting. For information on facilities or services 
for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at 
the meeting, contact [email protected] as soon as possible.
    The NSTAC is inviting public comment on the issues the committee 
will consider, as listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
below. Associated briefing materials that will be discussed at the 
meeting will be available at www.dhs.gov/nstac for review on April 22, 
2015. Comments may be submitted in writing at any time. Comments must 
be identified by docket number DHS-2015-0002 and may be submitted by 
one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number in the 
subject line of the message.
     Fax: 703-235-5961, Attn: Suzanne Daage.
     Mail: Designated Federal Officer, National Security 
Telecommunications Advisory Committee, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 245 Murray Lane, 
Mail Stop 0604, Arlington, VA 20598-0615.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received by the NSTAC, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    A public comment period will be held during the open portion of the 
meeting on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, from 2:05 p.m. to 2:25 p.m., and 
speakers are requested to limit their comments to three minutes. Please 
note that the public comment period may end before the time indicated, 
following the last call for comments. Please contact Suzanne Daage at 
703-235-5461 to register as a speaker by close of business on May 1, 
2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Jackson, NSTAC Designated 
Federal Officer, DHS, telephone (703) 235-5321.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix. (Pub. L. 92-463). 
The NSTAC advises the President on matters related to national security 
and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications policy.
    Agenda: The committee will meet in an open session to hear a 
keynote address on DHS activities, and engage in a panel with members 
of the NS/EP Communications Executive Committee to discuss NS/EP 
communications challenges and mutual priorities. Additionally, members 
will receive a status update from the DHS regarding the Government's 
progress in response to recent NSTAC recommendations. The NSTAC members 
also will receive an update on the status of the Big Data Analytics 
Subcommittee. The

[[Page 21255]]

committee will meet in a closed session to hear a classified briefing 
regarding cybersecurity threats and discuss future studies based on the 
Government's national security priorities and perceived 
vulnerabilities.
    Basis for Closure: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), Government 
in the Sunshine Act, it has been determined that two agenda items 
require closure as the disclosure of the information would not be in 
the public interest.
    The first of these agenda items, the classified briefing, will 
provide members with context on nation-state capabilities and strategic 
threats. Such threats target national telecommunications infrastructure 
and impact industry's long-term competitiveness and growth, as well as 
the Government's ability to mitigate threats. Disclosure of these 
threats would provide criminals who wish to intrude into commercial and 
Government networks with information on potential vulnerabilities and 
mitigation techniques, weakening existing cybersecurity defense 
tactics. This briefing will be classified at the top-secret level, 
thereby exempting disclosure of the content by statute. Therefore, this 
portion of the meeting will be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
552b(c)(1)(A).
    The second agenda item, the discussion of potential NSTAC study 
topics, will address areas of critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities 
and priorities for Government. Government officials will share data 
with NSTAC members on initiatives, assessments, and future security 
requirements across public and private networks. The data to be shared 
includes specific vulnerabilities within cyberspace that affect the 
Nation's telecommunications and information technology infrastructures 
and proposed mitigation strategies. Disclosure of this information to 
the public would provide criminals with an incentive to focus on these 
vulnerabilities to increase attacks on the Nation's cyber and 
telecommunications networks. Therefore, this portion of the meeting is 
likely to significantly frustrate implementation of proposed DHS 
actions and will be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B).

    Dated: April 7, 2015.
Helen Jackson,
Designated Federal Officer for the NSTAC.
[FR Doc. 2015-08818 Filed 4-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-9P-P