On the recordJuly 31, 2012
if I could respond through the Chair to my colleague from Delaware, he is absolutely correct, this is a collaborative partnership with the private sector, and indeed, it has to be. Eighty-five percent of the critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, so it makes sense to have their involvement. We restructured the bill to require that, and there is another safeguard. Since this is a voluntary system we have now devised, adopting the Kyl- Whitehouse approach, if the private sector decided not to participate, it essentially invalidates the standards that are developed. So why would this interagency council, which has developed the standards based on the recommendations of the private sector, not adopt reasonable standards? They want industry to participate. That is the ultimate safeguard, I say to my colleague from Delaware and my colleague, the chairman from Connecticut, who also may want to add to this. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
