House Republicans are swinging back at the White House over the accusation that Congress is in “the dark ages,” on cybersecurity law.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Friday chastised Congress for not taking up any of the trio of cybersecurity bills that President Obama sent to the Hill earlier this year.
But a statement issued later, by the office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., highlighted two bills passed by the House in April that would bolster cybersecurity, including legislation to promote information sharing about cyber threats.
“This administration is notorious for not working with Congress but they could at least read the news,” said a statement issued by McCarthy’s office.
The House also passed the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act, which would create a “hub” for information about cybersecurity threats at the Homeland Security Department that could be used by companies to prevent breaches.
McCarthy’s office pointed out that the House first passed cybersecurity legislation in 2012 but then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, declined to bring it to the floor for a vote. Many Senate lawmakers were wary at the time of the potential for government-coordinated cyber security to lead to more government surveillance of private data.
The GOP-run Senate has come up with a new bill this year that includes privacy safeguards while allowing the government to help share information about corporate cyber threats.
Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he expected the bill will be on the Senate floor, “soon,” but could not provide a specific date.
