Statement by Rob Strayer on the Cyber Proposal Released by The White House Today

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rob Strayer, Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group, issued the following statement today regarding the White House's legislative proposal on cyber security:

"The Administration's legislative proposal marks a significant step forward to improve the nation's cyber security.  While the proposal addresses a number of cyber security vulnerabilities, it does not appear to adequately delineate the authority of the federal government to act in coordination with the private sector during a major cyber attack. 

"Last year, the Bipartisan Policy Center hosted Cyber ShockWave, a simulated cyber attack that brought together a bipartisan group of former senior administration and national security officials playing the roles of Cabinet members.  This exercise revealed uncertainty about roles and responsibilities within the government and inadequately defined relationships with the private sector, which owns the vast majority of critical infrastructure.  Jamie Gorelick, a former U.S. Deputy Attorney General, noted during the exercise, 'our national security rests on a bed of wholly-owned private enterprise, and unless we are very clear as to what we expect from them... and what we need from them in the time of crisis, we are going to be left to the kind of 'let's just do it and figure it out later [process].' 

"The Bipartisan Policy Center intends to facilitate a dialogue among government officials and industry stakeholders to identify solutions to important cyber security challenges, including the authorities, roles and responsibilities of the government and private sector during a cyber emergency.  The security of our critical infrastructure and indeed, our modern networked society, depends on having these issues resolved before a crisis."

About the Bipartisan Policy Center:

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. Currently, the BPC focuses on issues including health care, energy, national and homeland security, transportation, science and economic policy. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/.

SOURCE Bipartisan Policy Center

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