December 7, 2016–The reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) into an “operational” unit devoted to the protection of critical infrastructure will be a top priority of Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Texas) in 2017, the lawmaker said today. “A 19th century bureaucracy cannot protect us from 21st century threats,” Rep. McCaul said during a “State of Homeland Security” address at The Heritage Foundation.  “So I have proposed a major reorganization and consolidation of our domestic cyber efforts into a single, strong cybersecurity agency at DHS.”

Rep. McCaul’s proposal has already cleared the House Homeland Security Committee, which he chairs, but its prospects are unclear in the waning days of the 114th Congress.  On a bipartisan vote, the committee approved the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency Act of 2016 (HR 5390), which would reorganize and rename NPPD, making it more focused on the missions of cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection. “It’s time to undertake wholesale reform at DHS, including eliminating bureaucratic bloat, scrapping failing offices, and cutting through the red tape,” Rep. McCaul said.  “We are fighting a silent war in cyberspace with unlimited fronts.” – Tom Leithauser, tom.leithauser@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily