Posted on 06/26/2010 10:03:14 AM PDT by EternalVigilance
A US Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the US president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack.
Senator Joe Lieberman and other bill sponsors have refuted the charges that the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act gives the president an Internet "kill switch." Instead, the bill puts limits on the powers the president already has to cause "the closing of any facility or stations for wire communication" in a time of war, as described in the Communications Act of 1934, they said in a breakdown of the bill published on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee website.
The committee unanimously approved an amended version of the legislation by voice vote Thursday, a committee spokeswoman said. The bill next moves to the Senate floor for a vote, which has not yet been scheduled.
Obama security review gets mixed reception
The bill, introduced earlier this month, would establish a White House Office for Cyberspace Policy and a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications, which would work with private US companies to create cybersecurity requirements for the electrical grid, telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure.
The bill also would allow the US president to take emergency actions to protect critical parts of the Internet, including ordering owners of critical infrastructure to implement emergency response plans, during a cyber-emergency. The president would need congressional approval to extend a national cyber-emergency beyond 120 days under an amendment to the legislation approved by the committee.
The legislation would give the US Department of Homeland Security authority that it does not now have to respond to cyber-attacks, Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, said earlier this month.
"Our responsibility for cyber defence goes well beyond the public sector because so much of cyberspace is owned and operated by the private sector," he said. "The Department of Homeland Security has actually shown that vulnerabilities in key private sector networks like utilities and communications could bring our economy down for a period of time if attacked or commandeered by a foreign power or cyber terrorists."
Other sponsors of the bill are Senators Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, and Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat.
One critic said Thursday that the bill will hurt the nation's security, not help it. Security products operate in a competitive market that works best without heavy government intervention, said Wayne Crews, vice president for policy and director of technology studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, an anti-regulation think tank.
"Policymakers should reject such proposals to centralize cyber security risk management," Crews said in an e-mail. "The Internet that will evolve if government can resort to a 'kill switch' will be vastly different from, and inferior to, the safer one that will emerge otherwise."
Cybersecurity technologies and services thrive on competition, he added. "The unmistakable tenor of the cybersecurity discussion today is that of government steering while the market rows," he said. "To be sure, law enforcement has a crucial role in punishing intrusions on private networks and infrastructure. But government must coexist with, rather than crowd out, private sector security technologies."
On Wednesday, 24 privacy and civil liberties groups sent a letter raising concerns about the legislation to the sponsors. The bill gives the new National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications "significant authority" over critical infrastructure, but doesn't define what critical infrastructure is covered, the letter said.
Without a definition of critical infrastructure there are concerns that "it includes elements of the Internet that Americans rely on every day to engage in free speech and to access information," said the letter, signed by the Center for Democracy and Technology, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other groups.
"Changes are needed to ensure that cybersecurity measures do not unnecessarily infringe on free speech, privacy, and other civil liberties interests," the letter added.
Where have you been against Obama but hiding under you beds. You have done nothing, nothing but complain and whine… doing nothing.
The modern Tea Parties have not thrown one ounce of tea into any American harbor. All they have accomplished to date is the same old “complain, whine and talk” thing that has not advanced the patriotic agenda one inch.
The time has come for ACTION: Disobedience of federal government mandates, strikes, Secession movements and the formation of military forces.
It is fact that the First American Revolution got nowhere until a rebel army was formed and returned fire.
If you're that scared, you're on the wrong forum. Just being a member here has already gotten you placed on "the list."
Either we hang together, or we will hang separately...
The Founding Fathers weren't careful about what they said, and they did not hide out from tyranny. No, they confronted it squarely, and with courage.
I suggest you do likewise, or leave the fray.
Paging Mark Levin! He's had it right all along.
And why would it be up to just the president to flip that switch. Is he a computer expert as well?
I agree with every word.
All the so-called opposition by the Rebublicans is simply for show, for the most part. They have been compromised and don’t want their families harmed or killed. It’s come to that.
It ain’t my “GOP.”
ping
Did you see my blog?
http://ronbosoldier.blogspot.com
Since 2005 I’ve advocated a Second American Revolution...and yes I know about the Watch List - I’ve been on it for years and as recently as last March, Homeland Security contacted me and threatened to haul me into court for articles published on my blog they think threaten the current Imperial Federal Government.
This only encouraged me to write and publish more. I note over the same five years many revolutionist blogs have disappeared. Perhaps their publishers got a visit from Homeland Security?
Am I afraid? Only a fool wouldn’t be concerned with current events - I can only cite my 20 year service in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence and duty in two wars in which I received decorations for my service and loyalty to the Republic.
I took a sacred oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as have millions of active duty and veterans.
I wonder where are these millions now?
Why is that interesting? The airwaves are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, and talking on Amateur Radio requires one pass a test to receive a license.
There are three license classes available, they are Technician(entry level), General Class and Advanced Class. Each license class opens up different bands (frequencies) for the operator to use.
I'm currently a General Class, I'll be taking my Advanced Class license test in the next few weeks. You may be surprised how many Hams there are here on Free Republic.
Nope, Hopie Change is the Dem Line, we use Rope a Dope.
Alright. Your comment made you appear like one of the white flag crew. Glad to see you're part of the patriotic resistance.
“I would take up arms myself except for the fact that an Army of One wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans. If rebellion is to have a chance, I must one of millions.”
You are totally correct. Why should you put your one life on the line for a bunch of chickens? I wouldn’t do it either.
Move to Panama. We can all see the end of this depressing show from here. Panama is not going to be affected by the fall of U.S. Panama is going to be another Singapore real soon.
If you are of retirement age, Panama loves you. You will be exteneded a permant visa because they know you will be spending much of your money here.
My best regards.
So do primaries.
The point I was trying to make was that the government can control the internet and shut it down. The government also controls the airwaves. I’d think they’d cancel all licenses and scramble signals if possible.
Bottom line is the government controls all communication between the people.
I used to be an ISP so I know about shutting the internet down. It's doable, there are 4-6 main "choke points" in the U.S.' network that once shut down, literally disables the 'net. Hell, the telco's get one government order to shut down and you can kiss the whole 'net goodbye.
Simply revoking amateur operator licenses isn't going to have the same net effect as shutting down the internet, specially when one considers there are approximately 1,000,000 ham radio operators in the United States alone.
It doesn't take a whole lot of power or big antenna's to send signals around the world either, so it's not like the government can drive down the street and look for towers with lots of metal in the air. Sure, some like me have a big tower with lots of antenna's up in the air, but that's not the majority. Most of the licensed ham's I know use more stealthy means of transmission such as wires in tree's, flagpole antennas (they look like real flagpoles) and antenna's in attic's or under gutters along the roof lines they're a lot harder to find.
It'll be a hell of alot harder to shut down the ham's than it will be to shut down the internet, that I can guarantee you.
By the way, if you have a shortwave radio, tune into 7.240 LSB some evening after oh, say 9pm. All it takes is one guy keying up yelling "Obama Sucks!" to bring out the true feelings of the Amateur radio community on a very large scale, towards the current occupant of the White House. It's alot worse on 80 Meters late at night above 3.920. You can't find an Obama supporter anywhere on 80 meters. It's like the wild west.
Amazing, isn’t it, how Bible reading was once considered “Logic” and “Reason” by the mainstream media, and today it’s lionized as the bastion for freaks and the intolerant?
I know it’ll be harder but the government would be looking for you. I remember back in the sixties when C.B radios were the craze. Some went all out with home bases with tall antenae and would talk “skip” all over the world. At that time there were fed agents out looking for people to fine.
There’s no doubt that ham operators would be better off. And for those who don’t know what it’s like to be in the dark, they’re in for a surprise. During Hurricane Ike it was strange to not know what was going on. I was on the cell phone with my sister out of state and she was giving m updates. I can only imagine what it was like for those who had no cell service. And this only went on for a day or so before local media was back up and broadcasting. One radio station never went off the air. If the government controlled all media and only told what it wanted the people to know, they’d have us under their thumb.
“Elections have consequences.”
I wonder about all those centrists who voted for Hussein ‘cause they thought it would be “cool” to vote for a black man. I wonder how that’s workin’ out for them now.
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