U.S. Senators circulated an early draft of a bill increasing cybersecurity collaboration between the government and firms to public and private officials Wednesday in hopes of avoiding any future conflict on the matter. The move highlights the U.S. government's increased tenacity concerning cybersecurity matters in recent months.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, and Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss, a Republican from Georgia, spearheaded the bill.

"We have worked together for months to draft a bill that allows companies to monitor their computer networks for cyber attacks, promotes sharing of cyber threat information and provides liability protection for companies who share that information," the Senators said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

"After reaching agreement on draft legislation, we circulated that draft bill language to relevant parties in the executive branch, private industry and the privacy community for comment. Once those comments are returned, which we hope will happen quickly, we will consider the final legislation."

Firms have been quick to lock down their digital spheres after the No. 3 U.S. retailer Target was hit by the biggest theft of retail data in history late last year. As they bolster their cyber infrastructures, however, companies are beginning to complain that it's simply not easy enough to share information concerning cyberthreats. Senators Feinstein and Chambliss hope to erase that concern, or at least alleviate it.

In its current state, the bill grants some liability protections as well as implies that cybersecurity data shared between civilian and government agencies might also be shared with military and intelligence agencies.   

The result of Executive Order 13636, "Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity," the White House released a 39-page guideline for cybersecurity collaboration called the Cybersecurity Framework in February.

"As President Obama's Executive Order implies, it is important for the government to share information and provide technical assistance to the private sector," U.S. Treasury official Amir-Mokri said in March. "At the same time, as the Executive Order also implies, it is important for the private sector, including firms both small and large, to do its part in maintaining robust cybersecurity resilience and readiness."

"So long as we rely on information technology in the pervasive way we do today, cybersecurity will remain a priority."