WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), a senior member of the committee, issued the following statements today after the Commerce Committee favorably reported out the Rockefeller-Snowe Cybersecurity Act.

“Our future is literally being stolen from us. Cyber attacks and hackers are at work raiding property and proprietary information from U.S. companies and innovators,” said Chairman Rockefeller. “The status quo is not sustainable. We need a new model for the 21st century. We must secure America’s critical networks, innovation and competitiveness in the global market. The Rockefeller-Snowe Cybersecurity Act provides a framework for a fundamentally new approach to combating cyber attacks. Today, we took another big step in moving this enormously important legislation forward.”

“It is simply undeniable that cyber intrusions and attacks represent both a potential national security and economic catastrophe as our vital information infrastructure – nearly 90 percent of it – is owned and operated by the private sector,” said Senator Snowe. “Without adequate cooperation between the public and private sectors to protect our critical infrastructure information systems – our strategic national assets – we risk a cyber-calamity of epic proportions with devastating implications for our nation. Our initiative, which is the culmination of a year’s worth of consultation and input from across the spectrum, streamlines cybersecurity-related functions and clarifies the responsibilities of government and private sector stakeholders.”

 ###