Cybersecurity Subcommittee Takes a Hit

Cybersecurity proponents suffered a loss with the announcement by Congressman Jim Langevin, D-R.I., that he will take a leave of absence from the House Homeland Security Committee and return to the Armed Service Committee, where he served until January 2007, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked him to serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Langevin had his greatest impact as chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology where he pushed for greater protection of networks that support the nation's national infrastructure and cosponsored legislation that aimed at tightening the lax computer security practices at the Homeland Security Department. Separate from his role in Congress, he also was co-chair of the Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, a nonpartisan cybersecurity panel created by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in October 2007 to offer recommendations on cybersecurity policy for the next administration.

Langevin's departure from the Homeland Security Committee does not mean an exit from cybersecurity efforts, however. The Rhode Island congressman said in a statement that he will continue efforts to "combat this emerging threat through my service on Armed Services, Intelligence and as Co-Chair of the House Cybersecurity Caucus."