Republicans legislators have written the
President to ask him not to issue an executive order on cybersecurity.
The
letter,
signed by 46 members of Congress said that would be tantamount to ignoring
Congress and imposing top-down
standards in a nontransparent way that sets a dangerous precedent.
"The
White House's attempt to do an end-route around Congress is not the right way
to proceed on such an important issue as cybersecurity," said Rep. Marsha
Blackburn (R-Tenn.), incoming vice chair of the House Energy & Commerce
Committee. "Beyond the bad policy of putting government in charge of
setting standards, issuing an Executive Order is also bad process. We're asking
the White House to work with us instead of forcing their top-down regulations
in such a non-transparent fashion," Blackburn said.
House
failed to pass a cybersecurity bill in this Congress although both sides
recognized the growing threat of cyber attacks from state actors, organized
crime and individuals.
The
President has said he may mandate protections along the lines of a Democratic-backed
bill that would have created voluntary cybersecurity standards that the
Republicans maintain could too easily morph into government mandates that
reduce the flexibility of private industry to respond to cyber threats in real
time.
