In a panel at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Cybersecurity Summit today, House Committee on Homeland Security (CHS) Aide Moira Bergin stressed Chairman Bennie Thompson’s, D-Miss., desire to reestablish the White House cybersecurity advisor position.
On Sept. 18, Thompson announced is desire to reestablish the role – which is typically seen as the most senior cybersecurity role in the Federal government – following President Trump appointing Robert O’Brien as his new National Security Advisor.
Bergin and other aides in the CISA panel touched upon the many other cybersecurity policies and issues that House and Senate Republicans and Democrats alike support, including bolstering the Federal cyber workforce, tackling 5G advancements, aiding small business and state and local government, cybersecurity, creating sound cyber standards, election security, driving better information-sharing practices across agencies and with industry partners.
Bergin said that when she, the other staffer panelists, and congressional representatives engage with the administration, sharing a bipartisan, unified stance on cybersecurity helps them create cyber policies and make progress toward strengthening the Federal cybersecurity environment and CISA’s mission efficacy.
As CISA continues to establish itself and guide agencies in their cybersecurity practices, Bergin said a White House cybersecurity leader would help CISA in its leadership and work especially.
“We probably need that White House cybersecurity coordinator to help really reinforce the roles and responsibilities of CISA as the [cyber leader] of specific agencies,” Bergin said. “There is a role for every agency. This is not a single-agency solution. It’s a multi-agency solution, but making sure that everyone is coordinating in an appropriate way. And that way we’re not wasting resources at an agency level or a legislative level.”
