The legislation -- Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act -- focuses on protecting domestic federal networks and the national infrastructure, but would make the Department of Homeland Security responsible for protecting civilian networks and gives President Barack Obama new emergency authority over private networks. The proposal also calls for a national data breach notification law -- one that would generally pre-empt existing state breach notification laws.
The task force is charged with making recommendations to cyber-security authorities and evaluating the government’s approach to information sharing, public-private partnerships and critical infrastructure.
On July 3, Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) was appointed to serve on the Cybersecurity Task Force, completing the 12-member team and joining Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), Mike McCaul (R-Texas), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Robert Hurt (R-Va.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), Lee Terry (R-Neb.). Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) will lead the task force.
All members are appointed by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).
“American jobs and national security depend upon our nation’s ability to innovate and dominate information technology fields,” Boehner said in a press release. “I’m pleased Congressman Thornberry will be heading up this important effort to evaluate what the House can do to help secure America’s technology infrastructures.”
