On the recordJuly 25, 2012
first, let me thank the Senator from West Virginia for his comments. He has worked so hard on this issue for many years but, in particular, the past 3 years, as he and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Feinstein, have worked with Senator Lieberman and me. I rise this evening to urge our colleagues to vote to begin the debate on the Cyber Security Act of 2012. Senator Lieberman and I have introduced this bill along with our colleagues Senator Rockefeller, Senator Feinstein, and Senator Carper. It has been a great pleasure to work with all of them--and work we have--in numerous sessions over literally a period of years, as we have attempted to merge the bills that were reported by the Commerce Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Of course, it is always a great pleasure to once again work with my dear friend the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Senator Lieberman, as we bring forth yet another bipartisan bill to the Chamber for its consideration. FBI Director Robert Mueller has warned that the cyber threat will soon equal or surpass the threat from terrorism. He has argued that we should be addressing the cyber threat with the same kind of intensity we have applied to the terrorist threat. This vital legislation would provide the Federal Government and the private sector with the tools needed to help protect our country from the growing cyber threat.…





