Angus King Slams CISA Dismantling Amid Growing Cyber Threat: ‘We’re Essentially Unilaterally Disarming’

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing prior to the congressional recess, Sen. Angus King (I-ME) spoke about cuts to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Transcript

00:00Senator King.

00:02I realize this isn't exactly in your lane, but it's certainly close.

00:07You talked in your prior answer about the work with the private sector

00:12and alerting them to the threats and to what was going on, and that's very important.

00:17But the principal agency that actually has performed that function as an interface

00:22between the federal government and the private sector was CISA, or is CISA.

00:27And my concern is that we've seen reports of cuts at CISA up to 90%.

00:32I believe 40% may be the latest number.

00:35And I think they've eliminated the office that interfaced with state election officials

00:40that enabled them to share threat data and information and protections

00:45with state election officials to keep our elections safe and secure.

00:50I just am puzzled at a time of heightened cyber threat that we're essentially unilaterally disarming

01:01one of the most important tools that we have to protect ourselves in cyberspace.

01:07Do you have any views on the dismantling of CISA?

01:11Senator King, thanks for the question.

01:14To be honest, I do not understand what the actual decisions are for any, you know,

01:23reduction or reorganization as it relates to CISA.

01:26You know, I will tell you that we continue to talk to CISA leadership,

01:29and we continue to share information with CISA leadership as it relates to threats

01:34that are relevant to their mission for defenses in the United States.

01:39Mr. Chairman, I realize that, again, this isn't his lane,

01:42but this subcommittee is dealing with the issue of cyber and CISA

01:46is one of our most important tools to deal with that,

01:49and they've been very effective.

01:51And having worked with some members of the private sector that have worked with CISA,

01:57it took years to build a trusting relationship between this government agency

02:03and these companies as well as the state election officials.

02:06I remember when that initiative first started,

02:09and the state election officials were very reluctant to interface with this federal agency,

02:15but they became very, I wouldn't say dependent,

02:18but they became very engaged with CISA in the last several elections,

02:22and to basically dismantle that capability I think is very dangerous for national security

02:31at a time of heightened cyberattack.

02:33We're under attack right now.

02:35And to be unilaterally disarming and disabling what amounts to a carrier fleet

02:42I think is very damaging to the security of the country. Thank you.

02:46I think your concern is noted, Senator.

Category

Transcript

Recommended