Senate cybersecurity bill gets high-ranking backers in the House

A Senate push for sweeping, bipartisan cybersecurity legislation is gaining traction in the House.

Some senior lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee have expressed support for a comprehensive proposal to bolster computer security that was introduced last week by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thomas Carper (D-Del.).

During a committee hearing, Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.) said they supported the Senate measure and pledged to sponsor similar legislation in the House.

Harman leads the committee’s Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee, and King is the ranking Republican on the full committee.

Related: DHS would be cyber power center under Lieberman/Collins proposal

The Senate bill is the second comprehensive cybersecurity bill introduced in that chamber during this congressional session. The Senate Commerce Committee approved a different comprehensive measure earlier this year, and Lieberman has said repeatedly that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants cybersecurity legislation passed this year.

Meanwhile, although the House has many cybersecurity bills pending, a comprehensive reform bill hasn't been introduced.

“I think [the Senate bill] is an excellent effort," Harman said. "I’m sure it will change as it goes through the legislative process, but it will be a good thing to work with our counterparts in the Senate on this."

She said the legislation would give the government new powers and new focus and perhaps provide the sustained leadership that Richard Skinner, the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general, said today was urgently needed.