Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CybersecuritySecurity NewswireSecurity Enterprise ServicesSecurity Leadership and ManagementCybersecurity NewsGovernment: Federal, State and Local

Congressional cybersecurity leaders introduce legislation to establish a National Cyber Director

cyber6-900px.jpg
June 29, 2020

A bipartisan group of six House members introduced a bill to establish a National Cyber Director in the Executive Office of the President to coordinate cyber policy across the Federal government.

Three Democrats and three Republicans are sponsoring the National Cyber Director Act, which would create a Senate-confirmed director, and two deputy directors appointed by the president.

Sponsors of the bill include Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI), House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure and Innovation John Katko (R-NY), former Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee’s Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Will Hurd (R-TX).

The creation of a National Cyber Director is a major recommendation of the Solarium Commission, a Congressionally-chartered group that includes members of Congress and the Administration, as well as private sector leaders. Pillar One of the Commission’s report, which was released in March, involves reforming the government, and creating a strong director in the White House is a “key recommendation.” In the George W. Bush Administration, Howard Schmidt and Richard Clarke served as “special” cybersecurity advisers to the President. In December 2009, President Obama created the position of White House Cybersecurity Coordinator and appointed Schmidt to it. Michael Daniel also held the position under Obama, and Rob Joyce served as Cybersecurity Coordinator under President Trump. The position was eliminated in 2018 by then National Security Adviser John Bolton. The National Cyber Director would fulfill a similar policy role to the Cybersecurity Coordinator, but the position would be backed with additional statutory authority to review cybersecurity budgets and coordinate national incident response.

"The Coronavirus has elevated the importance of cyber infrastructure and demonstrated how incredibly disruptive a major cyberattack could be," said Cyberspace Solarium Co-Chair Gallagher. "But while we are woefully unprepared for a cyber calamity, there is still time to right the ship. As the Cyberspace Solarium Commission recommends, a critical first step in doing so is through the creation of a National Cyber Director who would not only coordinate a whole-of-nation response to an attack, but work to prevent it in the first place. We need this strategic leadership yesterday, and I hope my colleagues realize we no longer have time to waste in strengthening our cyber resiliency.”

The National Cyber Director would be appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation and would head an office within the Executive Office of the President. They would oversee and coordinate federal government incident response activities, collaborate with private sector entities, and attend and participate in meetings of the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council. The Director would develop and oversee implementation of a National Cyber Strategy to defend the nation’s interests and critical infrastructure against malicious cyber actors. They would also participate in the preparation for cybersecurity summits and other international meetings in which cybersecurity is a focus.

“Cyberattacks threaten the security of individuals, businesses, schools, and governments alike,” said House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure and Innovation Ranking Member Katko. “As a nation, we must bolster our preparedness and response. For this reason, I am pleased to join Representatives Langevin, Gallagher, Maloney, Ruppersberger, and Hurd in introducing the National Cyber Director Act. Our bipartisan bill would establish the National Cyber Director position, a role that would serve as the President’s key advisor on matters related to cybersecurity. This position would be filled by a dedicated cyber expert, who would be empowered to lead national cyber strategy and policy. This is a significant step forward for improving our national security.”

In their report, the Solarium Commissioners wrote: “The executive branch should be restructured and streamlined in order that clear responsibilities and authorities over cyberspace can be established while it is empowered to proactively develop, implement, and execute its strategy for cyberspace…. More consolidated accountability for harmonizing the executive branch’s policies, budgets, and responsibilities in cyberspace while it implements strategic guidance from the President and Congress is needed to achieve coherence in the planning, resourcing, and employing of government cyber resources.” The Commissioners reiterated the need for coordination out of the White House in their recently published pandemic white paper, which highlighted the parallels between the COVID-19 public health emergency and a potential cyber incident.

 

KEYWORDS: coronavirus cyber security cyberattack Homeland Security pandemic

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Cyber Tactics Column
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

Popular Stories

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

Laptop with coding on ground

Stepping Into the Light: Why CISOs Are Replacing Black-Box Security With Open-Source XDR

Gift cards and credit cards

Why Are Cyberattacks Targeting Retail? Experts Share Their Thoughts

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

July 17, 2025

Tech in the Jungle: Leveraging Surveillance, Access Control, and Technology in Unique Environments

From animal habitats to bustling crowds of visitors, a zoo is a one-of-a-kind environment for deploying modern security technologies.

August 27, 2025

Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • coronavirus

    Senator Romney to Introduce Legislation to Establish a Global Health Security Coordinator

    See More
  • cyber_lock

    COVID-19 and the need for a national cyber director: How the response to the pandemic illustrates the importance of a leadership

    See More
  • leadership-enews2

    House Panel Approves Legislation to Establish Term for CISA Leader

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • March 6, 2025

    Why Mobile Device Response is Key to Managing Data Risk

    ON DEMAND: Most organizations and their associating operations have the response and investigation of computers, cloud resources, and other endpoint technologies under lock and key. 
  • August 27, 2025

    Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

    In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing