Cybersecurity bill likely dead

Cybersecurity legislation faces long odds of passing Congress this year despite forceful calls for action from the White House and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

There are several roadblocks that could prevent a bill from even reaching the Senate floor, and observers say Congress will likely punt the issue to next year. One of the chief complicating factors is the packed docket of legislation the Senate needs to complete before adjourning at the end of the year. "It's so hard. The timing is bad [and] the amount of work that has to be done in the lame duck is so substantial," said Stewart Baker, a partner at Steptoe & Johnson and former assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security. Another key question mark is whether both parties have the political will to hammer out a compromise.