Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) yesterday introduced legislation that would create a Senate Select Committee on Cybersecurity, raising the profile of the important issue on Capitol Hill. Jurisdiction over cyber issues is currently shared or divided among several other Senate committees.
The new committee would include the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Appropriations, Armed Services, Banking, Commerce, Foreign Relations, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, in addition to at-large members.
“Cybersecurity policy is one of the most complex and significant challenges facing Congress, yet the Senate’s structure to investigate and address cyber issues is diffuse and inadequate,” said Gardner. “This has led to an uncoordinated policy response to recent cyber attacks on government agencies, businesses and infrastructure…. As cyber threats evolve, so must U.S. cybersecurity policy.”
