Bill to create new cybersecurity post reintroduced

U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) on Thursday reintroduced the legislation, which they first submitted last fall.

Creation of the assistant secretary position was approved last fall by the House as part of an intelligence reform bill but was not included in the final intelligence reform package approved by Congress and signed by the President.

"It is imperative that Congress work with a sense of urgency to revisit this bill to elevate the position assistant secretary for cybersecurity so we can make sure that the top government cybersecurity personnel has the access and authority to get the job done," Lofgren said in a statement.

The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) lauded the lawmakers for their action. Currently, the cybersecurity chief post is buried in DHS, and is too low in the agency to improve cybersecurity across public and private sectors, according to the ITAA.

www.house.gov/lofgren

www.itaa.org