Dem: Cybersecurity is not a partisan issue

Following the recent spate of hacker attacks on government and corporate websites, the creation of a House GOP-only cybersecurity task force is prompting charges from at least one Democrat that a national security issue is being politicized.

Shortly after Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) unveiled the 12-member Republican task force late last week, a prominent lawmaker protested that Democrats were being excluded from the group. “It’s frustrating to see at the leadership level that Speaker Boehner and Cantor are making this into a partisan issue,” Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) said. “There’s too much at stake here, and we need to have both parties working on this.” When Rep Langevin caught wind that only Republicans would be appointed to the task force, he sent a letter to Speaker Boehner on June 15 asking him to reconsider and open membership to both parties. In the letter, Rep Langevin noted that his congressional résumé includes holding top roles on key Homeland Security and Armed Services subcommittees. He offered to help Speaker Boehner and Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) develop new policies to fend off cyberthreats directed at critical US systems.