Coons, Gardner Bow Bill to Create Senate Cybersecurity Committee

Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Chris Coons, D-Del., filed legislation Wednesday to create the Senate Select Committee on Cybersecurity, as expected (see 1612200044) after they previewed the legislation last week (see 1701190036). The Senate resolution would establish the proposed cybersecurity committee to focus on both the U.S.’ data breach prevention strategy and cyber activities. The cybersecurity committee would have 21 members, including the leaders of the Senate Appropriations, Armed Services, Banking, Commerce, Foreign Relations, Homeland Security, Intelligence and Judiciary committees, the resolution said. The committee would also include five members from the Senate at large, three from the majority party and two from the minority party. “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,” Gardner said in a news release. “This has led to an uncoordinated policy response to recent cyber attacks on government agencies, businesses, and infrastructure.” Gardner said the proposed committee “is essential to investigating emerging cyber risks and bolstering our defenses against them through legislative solutions, and I’m hopeful that my colleagues recognize that a centralized structure is the best path forward to effectively tackle the cyber challenge.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., and two other senators called last month for a unified Senate cybersecurity committee in part to investigate Russia-led hacks aimed at influencing the 2016 presidential election (see 1612190061).