Reps. Lofgren and Thornberry Applaud Passage of Cybersecurity Legislation
April 20, 2005
Media Contact: Heather Wong, 202.225.3072
Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX) today applauded the passage of H.R. 285 by the House Homeland Security subcommittee on economic security, infrastructure protection and cybersecurity. The bipartisan legislation would create an Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity position within the Department of Homeland Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructures Protection Directorate and to shore up cyber protection and telecommunication efforts with the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation, also known as "the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2005" will allow for the Assistant Secretary to have primary authority within the Department for all cybersecurity-related critical infrastructure protection programs of the Department. Next, the bill moves on to the full committee for consideration.
“The Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity position, at this higher level, will be better able to coordinate with other assistant secretaries within the Directorate, as well as officials throughout the Department, other federal agencies, and the private sector,” said Rep. Lofgren. “The Department needs to be advancing on cybersecurity and I am pleased that this bill will help ensure that cybersecurity is a priority in our nation’s homeland security.”
“All of us in our daily lives depend on the reliability of hundreds of computer networks, and we must protect those networks from attacks by criminals or terrorists,” said Rep. Thornberry. “This bill will help make sure our government is devoting the proper amount of attention to cybersecurity. I am grateful to Ms. Lofgren for her leadership and expertise which shepherded H.R. 285 through the committee process.”
The bill received strong support from the technology, academic, and financial sectors. The Assistant Secretary position would serve under the direction of the Secretary, would be situated within the Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and would hold authority over the National Communications System.
“This bill is bipartisan in nature and was written the at direction of Mac Thornberry and myself in our roles as leaders of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee last year,” Lofgren continued. “I want to thank Congressman Thornberry and the staff which worked together as a bipartisan team, for their collaboration and hard work on this bill.”
The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2005, was first introduced by Reps. Lofgren and Thornberry in the second session of the 108th Congress. The establishment of a new Assistant Secretary position was ultimately approved by the House as part of H.R. 10, the House-passed version of last year's intelligence reform bill, but was not included in the final intelligence reform legislation approved by Congress and signed by the President.
Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX) today applauded the passage of H.R. 285 by the House Homeland Security subcommittee on economic security, infrastructure protection and cybersecurity. The bipartisan legislation would create an Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity position within the Department of Homeland Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructures Protection Directorate and to shore up cyber protection and telecommunication efforts with the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation, also known as "the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2005" will allow for the Assistant Secretary to have primary authority within the Department for all cybersecurity-related critical infrastructure protection programs of the Department. Next, the bill moves on to the full committee for consideration.
“The Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity position, at this higher level, will be better able to coordinate with other assistant secretaries within the Directorate, as well as officials throughout the Department, other federal agencies, and the private sector,” said Rep. Lofgren. “The Department needs to be advancing on cybersecurity and I am pleased that this bill will help ensure that cybersecurity is a priority in our nation’s homeland security.”
“All of us in our daily lives depend on the reliability of hundreds of computer networks, and we must protect those networks from attacks by criminals or terrorists,” said Rep. Thornberry. “This bill will help make sure our government is devoting the proper amount of attention to cybersecurity. I am grateful to Ms. Lofgren for her leadership and expertise which shepherded H.R. 285 through the committee process.”
The bill received strong support from the technology, academic, and financial sectors. The Assistant Secretary position would serve under the direction of the Secretary, would be situated within the Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and would hold authority over the National Communications System.
“This bill is bipartisan in nature and was written the at direction of Mac Thornberry and myself in our roles as leaders of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee last year,” Lofgren continued. “I want to thank Congressman Thornberry and the staff which worked together as a bipartisan team, for their collaboration and hard work on this bill.”
The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2005, was first introduced by Reps. Lofgren and Thornberry in the second session of the 108th Congress. The establishment of a new Assistant Secretary position was ultimately approved by the House as part of H.R. 10, the House-passed version of last year's intelligence reform bill, but was not included in the final intelligence reform legislation approved by Congress and signed by the President.
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