Latest Media Releases from Congressional Cyber Security Caucus

House Cyber Security Summit

2012-04-18T14:07:42Z

The House Cyber Security Summit was held on April 17, 2012.

View the videos below.

McCaul remarks - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPUABeXKcnY

Langevin remarks - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU7J_wC6qPs

Chertoff opening remarks - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGOs3cWHg7g

Chertoff, Industry: Cyber Threat Is Urgent; Action Needed

2012-04-18T01:21:48Z

The threat of a devastating cyber attack on America's critical infrastructure is real, the consequences would be costly and the need for action by Congress is urgent. That is the consensus of a panel of technology, energy and banking industry representatives, and a former Secretary of Homeland Security.

"It doesn't take a lot to understand how an attack on critical infrastructure during a time of tension could seriously undermine the ability of a country to defend itself," said former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who keynoted a House Cybersecurity Caucus Summit on Capital Hill Tuesday. "We don't want to have another 9/11 in order to learn this lesson."

"It's of great concern in terms of protecting businesses and the private sector from the theft of intellectual property, espionage and the potential of denial of service attacks or a reprogramming virus like Stuxnet that could cripple the nation," said Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), co-chair of the House Cyber Caucus, referring to the virus that crippled Iran's nuclear facilities.

"We have to redouble our efforts. This is important not only to our national security but to our infrastructure and our economic competitiveness," said Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-chair of the House Cyber Caucus. "This is a time more than ever when we need closer collaboration between the public and private sector."

"We are batting a thousand,” said Roger Cressey of the corporate cybersecurity consulting firm Booze, Allen, Hamilton. “We have yet to find a network that has not been penetrated by a sophisticated adversary. The message today: the threat is urgent and real. We need to take steps.”

The Cyber Summit served as a prelude to as many as half a dozen pieces of cyber legislation on which the House is expected to vote next week. Congressman McCaul's Cybersecurity Enhancement Act would harden federal networks, increase research and development, strengthen education and awareness of hygiene, and procurement policies to influence the private sector to better secure their networks. Other bills would encourage sharing of signature threat information between the public and private sector.

"I had the experience of living through an event that occurred after there was a fair amount of warning and four planes were hijacked and we lost about 3,000 people. My message to anybody who's interested in this, particularly in Congress, is let's do something meaningful because it is not a tolerable situation," Chertoff said.

Video

Cyber Summit discussion on "The Cyber Threat and Industry Solutions."

2012-04-16T20:17:23Z

April 17, 2012 at 3:00 PM in 2325 Rayburn, join former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and the Cybersecurity Caucus for a Cyber Summit discussion on
"The Cyber Threat and Industry Solutions."

Joining the Cyber Summit are Panelists:
Michael Chertoff, The Chertoff Group
Jeff Snyder, Raytheon
Liesyl Franz, TechAmerica
Chris Peters, Entergy
John Denning, Financial Services – Information Sharing Analysis Center
Thomas Gann, McAfee
Rick Burdette, Accuvant

We look forward to seeing you on April 17th. Please contact sally.stone@mail.house.gov with Congressman McCaul’s office to RSVP for you and/or your representative.

The Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus is co-chaired by Congressman McCaul and Congressman Langevin. If your Member is interested in more information or in joining the Caucus, please email Michael Hermann Michael.hermann@mail.house.gov (Langevin) or Sally Stone sally.stone@mail.house.gov (McCaul).

McCaul, Langevin Lead Bipartisan Effort to Prevent International Internet Regulations

2012-03-27T16:51:14Z

Congressmen Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI), Co-Chairs of the House Cybersecurity Caucus, introduced legislation today urging the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to oppose any resolution that would allow regulation of the Internet.

China and Russia are leading efforts before the UN to seek such a resolution, under which the UN would give license to authoritarian governments to continue censoring the Internet and perpetuate their assault on individual liberties. H. Con. Res. 114 is consistent with the White House’s May 2011 International Strategy for Cyberspace, which calls on the United States to preserve, enhance and increase access to an open, global Internet.

“Any action taken by the United Nations to attempt to limit Americans’ right to free and open Internet content is unacceptable," said Congressman McCaul, who served as an advisor on cybersecurity on Speaker Boehner's High Tech Task Force. "The Internet’s current multi-stakeholder model has provided an unburdened environment for ideas and inventions to thrive. No single state should have control over content and information must be freely disseminated."

“The proposals by some nations to gain international approval of policies that could result in Internet censorship would be a significant setback for anyone who believes free expression is a universal right,” said Congressman Langevin, who co-founded the Cybersecurity Caucus with McCaul in 2008. “It must be made clear that efforts to secure the Internet against malicious hacking do not need to interfere with this freedom and the United States will oppose any attempt to blur the line between the two.”

Last week, Reporters Without Borders, in its annual report on Internet freedom and worldwide freedom of expression, listed 12 nations as “enemies of the Internet” including Iran, Syria, China, North Korea, Cuba and Uzbekistan.

In a September letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations from China, Russian, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, stated their intention to offer a UN resolution calling for an international code of conduct for information technology security, and stated that it is their belief that the governments of these countries should be able to control and influence public internet-related issues.

“Every member of Congress and the president can be in agreement that there is no area where the need for vigilance is more necessary than in preserving our First Amendment right to free speech and open access to information,” Rep. McCaul said.

Reps. McCaul and Langevin served as co-chairs of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, which presented cybersecurity recommendations to President Obama just before he took office.

Legislation

Full text of the House Concurrent Resolution submitted today by Reps. McCaul and Langevin.

Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus Launches Website

2010-08-02T19:21:56Z

WARWICK, R.I. – Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Mike McCaul (R-TX) today launched a new Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus website. The new online presence is intended to allow the public to have access to news and information in regard to cybersecurity policy.

“This new page will help us further the mission of the caucus and allow us to continue to raise awareness about the importance of securing our nation’s cyber infrastructure – from large government agencies to our home networks,” said Langevin, caucus founder and co-chair. “Congress plays a key role in the future of cybersecurity policy. Please check the site frequently for updates about caucus activities as well as for the latest news and resources.”

“The cyber threat is not science-fiction; it’s reality, and it needs to be taken seriously,” said McCaul, caucus co-founder and co-chair. “We need to educate Americans so they have a clear understanding of how the threat has evolved the severity of it, and the need to secure our networks. This site will go a long way toward that goal.”

The site, http://cybercaucus.langevin.house.gov/ , includes links to important cyber sites including the US Cyber Command and the CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, as well as helpful advice on how to secure personal computers and networks.

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Defense Authorization Passes, National Office for Cyberspace Established

2010-05-28T23:43:31Z

WARWICK, RI - Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today supported the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. Included in the bill, which passed by a vote of 229 to 186, was an amendment offered by Langevin and Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) that makes important updates to the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and establishes a National Office for Cyberspace in the Executive Office of the President.

“The passage of this amendment comes after a great deal of work to raise awareness about the cyber vulnerabilities that exist throughout our federal government,” said Langevin, co-chair of the House Cybersecurity Caucus. “These provisions will establish strong, centralized oversight to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure and update our comprehensive policy for operating in cyberspace.”

“Not only does this amendment make necessary and wholesale improvements to our current cybersecurity policy and management framework, but it will also ensure that agencies have a strong leader within the Executive Office of the President to assist them in their efforts,” said Watson. “I want to extend my gratitude to Subcommittee Chairman Langevin of the Committee on Armed Services for teaming up with me on this important amendment and commend him for his years of leadership on these issues.”

This amendment combines Watson’s H.R. 4900, the Federal Information Security Amendments Act, and Langevin’s H.R. 5247, the Executive Cyberspace Authorities Act. The measure codifies multiple policy recommendations made by the Obama Administration’s 60-Day Cyberspace Policy Review, public-private sector working groups such as the CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, and GAO for remedying security deficiencies throughout the federal government.

Key provisions of the Amendment include:

- Establishing a National Office for Cyberspace (NOC) within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate and oversee the security of agency information systems and infrastructure. This office will have strong budgetary oversight powers that are backed by financial pay-for-performance authorities, while remaining accountable to Congress.

- Establishing a Federal Cybersecurity Practice Board within the NOC that would be charged with developing policies and procedures for agencies to adhere to in meeting FISMA statutory requirements and to oversee the implementation of NIST approved standards and guidelines.

- Requiring agencies to undertake automated and continuous monitoring of their systems to ensure compliance and identify deficiencies and potential risks caused by cyber incidents or threats to an agency's information technology assets.

- Requiring agencies to obtain an annual independent audit of their information security programs to determine their overall effectiveness and compliance with FISMA requirements.

- Developing secure acquisition policies to be used in the procurement of information technology products and services

- Establishing the Office of the Chief Technology Officer within the Executive Office of the President to work collaboratively across the government and private sector to analyze and improve the use of information technology.

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Bill Creates National Cyberspace Office, Centralizes Cyber Protection

2010-05-06T23:47:13Z

WARWICK, RI - Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) today introduced a bill that will establish strong, centralized oversight to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure and design a comprehensive policy for operating in cyberspace. The Executive Cyberspace Authorities Act of 2010 closely follows recommendations developed by the CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, which the two Congressmen co-chaired, by establishing a National Cyberspace Office in the Executive Office of the President that includes strong authorities over agency information security policies.

“This legislation is long overdue and will help fill a critical void in our cybersecurity infrastructure,” said Langevin, co-chair of the House Cybersecurity Caucus. “While the President’s establishment of a Cybersecurity Coordinator was an encouraging step, the position was not given the proper authorities to adequately secure our networks and coordinate IT policy across government. Our legislation aims to enhance this position, giving it more authority.”

“Every day our government and private networks are breached and often sensitive, proprietary information is stolen by individuals and rogue nations,” said McCaul. “We know these groups intend to inflict harm on the United States. This legislation will finally establish the necessary coordination to protect our networks and infrastructure from sabotage.”

Under the bill, the National Cyberspace Office (NCO) will be led by a Cyberspace Director, who will be appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate and have a seat on the National Security Council. Along with coordinating the security of our federal information infrastructure policies and practices, the Cyberspace Director would also review and approve each civilian federal agency budget relating to the protection of information technology (IT) infrastructure.

The legislation further directs that each civilian agency include with its annual budget:
- A review of threats faced by the agency to its information security systems
- A plan to secure the agency’s IT infrastructure, based upon National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines and recommendations
- Agency compliance with its established IT practices, including compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act
- A report on development of secure identity and authentification processes

Also, under the bill, the Cyberspace Director may recommend that the President withhold awards and bonuses for specific agencies that fail to make adequate efforts to secure their IT infrastructure in their budgets. The Cyberspace Director will also be responsible for annually providing to Congress an assessment of agency progress in developing and implementing IT policies, significant agency deficiencies and planned remedial action.

View text of bill.

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Langevin Continues to Push for Cybersecurity Reforms

2008-09-16T23:49:55Z

(Warwick, R.I.) - Congressman Jim Langevin today presided over his eighth hearing on cybersecurity as Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology. The hearing examined the draft, bipartisan findings of the Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency.

The Commission, directed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is expected to release its final recommendations in November. It is co-chaired by Langevin; Congressman and Subcommittee Ranking Member Michael McCaul of Texas; Scott Charney, Vice President of Trustworthy Computing at Microsoft; and Lt. General Harry Raduege, Chairman of the Center for Network Innovation at Deloitte and Touche.

“I don’t think anyone would disagree that this Subcommittee has established itself as the policy leader in the U.S. Congress on cybersecurity,” said Langevin. “And I am proud of the work we have done as we near the end of the 110th Congress. Looking forward, the CSIS Commission report will be equally important in helping the next Administration address a number of significant cyber-related issues.”

Over the last year of study CSIS has found that cybersecurity is one of the most pressing national security challenges facing the nation and that the country lacks a coherent national strategy for addressing these issues.

When they are released in November, the final recommendations from CSIS are expected to call for:
• Development of a national strategy
• Reorganization of the governance of cyberspace to provide accountability and authority
• Rebuilding of relationships with the private sector and revising regulation and incentive schemes
• Modernization of legal authorities
• Reshaping of investment and acquisition policies

In furtherance of his work and in effort to include more members of Congress, Langevin also announced the creation of a House Cybersecurity Caucus. The purpose of this Caucus is to raise awareness and provide a forum for Members representing different committees of jurisdiction to discuss the challenges in securing cyberspace.

“Congress plays a key role in the future of cybersecurity policy,” continued Langevin. “Just as this Administration has not spoken with one voice, however, committee jurisdictional squabbles threaten to divide the attention and focus of Congress on these issues. That is why this Caucus is so important.”

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