WARWICK – The Department of Defense budget was recently passed, including an amendment offered by U.S. Reps. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., and Diane Watson, D-CA.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, which sets the 2011 budget for the Department of Defense, was passed by a vote of 229 to 186.
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The Watson-Langevin amendment will update the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and will establish a National Office for Cyberspace in the Executive Office of the President.
“The passage of this amendment comes after a great deal of work to raise awareness about the cyber vulnerabilities that exist throughout our federal government,” said Langevin, co-chair of the House Cybersecurity Caucus. “These provisions will establish strong, centralized oversight to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure and update our comprehensive policy for operating in cyberspace.”
Langevin, who has represented Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District since 2001, has been a strong advocate of addressing vulnerabilities in cyberspace security. He also offered his support for President Barack Obama’s choice of Howard A. Schmidt to coordinate federal policy on cyber security. In May, Langevin and Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-TX, had introduced the Executive Cyberspace Authorities Act of 2010.
The amendment that was passed is a combination of Langevin’s H.R. 5247, the Executive Cyberspace Authorities Act and Watson’s H.R. 4900, the Federal Information Security Amendments Act.
Watson said, “I want to extend my gratitude to Subcommittee Chairman Langevin of the Committee on Armed Services for teaming up with me on this important amendment and commend him for his years of leadership on these issues.”
“Not only does this amendment make necessary and wholesale improvements to our current cybersecurity policy and management framework, but it will also ensure that agencies have a strong leader within the Executive Office of the President to assist them in their efforts,” said Watson.
