Prospects For Comprehensive Cyber Reform Are Questionable

Congress is unlikely to pass a comprehensive cybersecurity reform bill this year, largely because public concern about computer hacking doesn’t sway elections, a recently-departed House Homeland Security Committee senior aide said. That prospect is likely to change only after an event involving major property damage, casualties and a direct connection to malicious network activity, said Kevin Gronberg, who as former senior counsel to the committee, helped draft key cybersecurity legislation that failed in 2012.

“As of yet, cyber still does not win votes,” said Gronberg, who stepped down after the 2012 election. “It will always be one of those issues that politicians will be able to push aside [in favor of] the issue of the day -- such as sequestration,” he said. “That's how these Congress members keep their jobs." Gronberg, now a private consultant, spoke during a discussion hosted by Nextgov.

Andrew Grotto, a staffer for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, took a less pessimistic view: “I’m not sure we need a 9/11-like incident to yield legislation,” he said...