McCain: Russia didn't affect election, but cyber still needs own committee

[Free Vulcan]

Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Saturday that he does not believe Russian hackers affected the presidential election, adding that he plans to recommend a new select committee on cybersecurity.

"I do not think that the outcome of the election was impacted by Russian hacking. I think the American people have the good sense to vote for people without the help of Russian hackers,” McCain said at the Halifax International Security Forum. “But I do believe it’s important for us to have — and I will be recommending — a select committee on the whole issue of cybersecurity.”

McCain went on to say that cybersecurity “crossed jurisdictional lines” between committees like Armed Services and Intelligence, and the issue is too important to leave without a specific home. McCain noted that cyber is the only aspect in which the U.S. military is not leaps and bounds ahead of other nations...

Read more at: http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/306939-mccain-russia-didnt-affect-election-but-cyber-still-needs-own-committee

[txradioguy]

Doesn't need its own political committee...it NEEDS better cyber defense within the DoD and/or Homeland Security. 

Which means more troops.

Something the pols like Cpt Queeg dont want to do...unless it involves Syria or Libya.

[HonestJohn]

Congressional committees are there so that Congresspeople can understand what is happening in that field.  That way they can inform the committee members who can then inform the rest of Congress and persuade it to craft legislation/provide funding to correct shortcomings and deficiencies.

As there is no cyber committee, Congress flails about, not knowing much about America's current effoorts and the state of affairs.  They are operating under what they can get out of the news and out of the intelligence committees (which aren't really set up for that).

[txradioguy]

Congressional committees are there so that Congresspeople can understand what is happening in that field.  That way they can inform the committee members who can then inform the rest of Congress and persuade it to craft legislation/provide funding to correct shortcomings and deficiencies.

As there is no cyber committee, Congress flails about, not knowing much about America's current effoorts and the state of affairs.  They are operating under what they can get out of the news and out of the intelligence committees (which aren't really set up for that).

New committee equals more money for the new committee which equals more layers of bureaucracy and nothing gets accomplished except more debt and deficit.

If the pols want to know whats going on they have ample time to bring up the issue during hearings on Homeland Security and when the Service Chiefs are testifying on the Hill.

[HonestJohn]

New committee equals more money for the new committee which equals more layers of bureaucracy and nothing gets accomplished except more debt and deficit.

If the pols want to know whats going on they have ample time to bring up the issue during hearings on Homeland Security and when the Service Chiefs are testifying on the Hill.

No, they don't.

Hearings aren't for listening, but for political grandstanding by the Congresspeople.

If you are expecting something else, you've never been to one or read their transcripts.

And the funding for a political committee involves paying a few staffers to print out briefings, schedule a meeting room, and coordinate the arrival of those attending.  This is in the low hundreds of thousands.