Venable's Managing Director of Cybersecurity Services Ari Schwartz was quoted in a February 11, 2016 Wall Street Journal article on President Obama's proposed budget calling for an additional $19 billion in cybersecurity funding. The increased funding would be used to update antiquated computer systems, the appointment of a chief information security officer, and putting the government on more equal footing with private companies. The proposed budget also sets aside $3.1 billion for the creation of an Information Technology Modernization fund to help agencies retire and upgrade older systems.
Under the current proposal, according to Schwartz, federal agencies would receive billions to upgrade their systems in the wake of recent high-profile cyberattacks. In the past such funding usually went to Homeland Security and Justice, but now the agencies would improve their own systems. "For government contractors, there’s been a major effort to step up [cyber] compliance within the supply chain," said Schwartz.