In the 111th Congress, numerous members of both chambers introduced or participated in the development of legislation to revamp the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity. And at the outset of the 112th, many of those proposals remain on the table.
For all the work that went into packages for comprehensive overhaul, including talks with industry stakeholders and public-interest advocates, the jurisdictional hurdles were too much to clear.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had pressed the various committees to work together to merge their competing bills, and he’s going to try again this session, according to an aide.
Reid staffer Tommy Ross said at a policy conference in Washington that his boss is hoping to bring cybersecurity legislation to a floor vote this year, though there is still much work to be done.
Meantime, the Obama administration has been conspicuously silent on the issue, which has also held up the legislative process. eSecurity Planet has the story.
