Meehan: More Information-Sharing, Communication Important to Combating Cyber Threats

Press Release

Congressman Patrick Meehan (PA-7) today issued the following statement after Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, announced the formation of a new agency to combat the threat of cyberattack. Modeled on the National Counterterrorism Center formed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the agency will "fuse intelligence from around the government when a crisis occurs", the Washington Post reported.

"Efforts to improve communication and information-sharing among law enforcement and our intelligence community are vital to combating the cyber threat," said Congressman Meehan. "And I'm pleased the Administration continues to indicate that it appreciates just how serious the threat of cyberattack has become. But as always, the devil is in the details, and I'm anxious to learn more about how this agency will be developed, who will participate, and what safeguards will be put in place to protect privacy rights."

"Important progress was made with the authorization of the National Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Center last year," Meehan continued. "The Administration should build on the NCCIC's fundamental role in real-time cyber information integration and explain how the new agency will avoid overlap and redundancy."

Meehan serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and chaired the cybersecurity subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee in the 113th Congress. Meehan worked alongside Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul last year to develop and pass the first major bipartisan cybersecurity legislation signed into law in over a decade.

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