Bipartisan Security Experts Strongly Endorse Cybersecurity Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Eighteen renowned national security experts today strongly endorsed bipartisan legislation, authored by Senator Susan Collins that would improve the security of our nation's critical cyber systems.  The revised Cybersecurity Act of 2012, coauthored by Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Ca., and Federal Financial Management Subcommittee Chairman Tom Carper, D-Del., would address the immediate threat of cyber attack from foreign nations, hacktivists, criminals, and terrorists.

The Aspen Homeland Security Group is a bipartisan group of foreign policy experts, who convene to discuss issues in depth and make recommendations to policymakers. The Aspen Homeland Security Group is co- chaired by former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and former Congresswoman Jane Harman.

The group's statement of support is below.

STATEMENT OF THE ASPEN HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP

(July 24, 2012)

The Aspen Homeland Security Group strongly urges the U.S. Senate to vote this week to take up S3414, the cyber-security bill, for debate on the floor. We urge the Senate to adopt a program of voluntary cyber-security standards and strong positive incentives for critical infrastructure operators to implement those standards. The country is already being hurt by foreign cyber-intrusions, and the possibility of a devastating cyber-attack is real. Congress must act now.

Charles E. Allen

Stewart A. Baker

Richard Ben-Veniste

Peter Bergen

Michael Chertoff

P.J. Crowley

Clark K. Ervin

Jane Harman

Michael V. Hayden

Michael Leiter

James M. Loy

Paul McHale

John McLaughlin

Phillip Mudd

Eric T. Olson

Guy Swan III

Juan Zarate

Philip Zelikow