WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement regarding the Intelligence Committee's unanimous, bipartisan vote today to approve the Protecting Cyber Networks Act (H.R. 1560). The vote sends the bill to the full House. Himes is the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee's Subcommittee on the National Security Agency and Cybersecurity.
"The cyber-attacks against Anthem, Target and Home Depot, and the real threat posed by our adversaries abroad, underscore why Congress must act to protect Americans’ personal information. This balanced, bipartisan legislation is an important next step in securing our networks while protecting the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens. The bill also reflects valuable input from the Administration, the privacy community, industry stakeholders and members of the House and Senate. I am hopeful that this legislation will move Congress closer to passing a comprehensive cybersecurity bill this year. I will keep working to ensure our nation’s intelligence programs strike the right balance between protecting our nation’s security and the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens.”