WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement after Republicans voted to block the Senate from moving ahead with a vote on his cybersecurity legislation:

“Today’s political maneuvering by Republican leadership is more than disappointing. It’s reckless. We worked hard for more than three years and now because a handful of Republican Senators are afraid of crossing the Chamber of Commerce’s beltway lobbyists, we may end up with nothing on this urgent issue. The only thing more upsetting than the Chamber sinking this bill is the attempt by some to demand a vote on repealing health care coverage for families across the country and new preventive care offerings as a condition for voting on cyber security. To combine those two issues is a cynical, Republican political ploy.

“All the experts say this issue is our top national security priority.  Our nation’s top military and intelligence official on cybersecurity issues, General Keith Alexander of NSA and Cyber Command, along with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, urged us to pass comprehensive cybersecurity legislation. What more do my colleagues on the other side need to hear?  Senators should take note of this urgent military advice about what we need to do to protect our country.  We are already too late. 

“I promise to continue working towards common ground so we can do our jobs and pass cybersecurity legislation later this year when Congress returns. I remain grateful to Senators Lieberman, Collins, Feinstein, Carper and others who worked with me so closely on this issue and also to Leader Reid for trying hard to move this bill to the floor for a vote.”

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