Washington, D.C. – Sen. Ron Johnson made these remarks on the adoption of his amendment to the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center Act as the bill was approved by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee:

 “The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) currently acts as the centerpiece of information sharing between the Department of Homeland Security and the private sector on growing cyber threats.  This bill codifies the center  into law. That aligns the interests of private companies, which have every incentive to keep their networks secure, with the government’s ability to share information about emerging threats.

 “But the possibility of heavy-handed federal regulation would endanger the private sector’s willingness to share information. Some in Congress and the Obama administration have called for the government to dictate standards to industry through a maze of assessments, audits and standards that would lag hopelessly behind both technological developments and threats.

 “My amendment sets clear limits on the role of the NCCIC, giving industry the security to share information with authorities without the threat of federal ‘mission creep.’ I am pleased that both Chairman Carper, a Democrat, and Ranking Member Coburn, a Republican, favored my amendment to their bill and that a bipartisan majority on the committee approved it.”

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