Senators push state cyber plan

Senators from New York and New Jersey are getting behind an Army National Guard effort to form a joint cyber protection team.

The states’ four senators told the acting director of the Army National Guard that state National Guards have “positioned themselves well for success” in protecting the region.

{mosads}“With the cyber world influencing many aspects of our economy and national security, we must be prepared to deter the growing threat to cyber networks in America’s financial hub,” wrote Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The lawmakers noted the National Guard “demonstrated their importance” to both states during Hurricane Sandy and other events.

“It is critical that they be allowed to continue their exemplary service in the cyber realm in the bi-state area where this relentless threat will only grow most costly,” they wrote. 

The Army National Guard is currently in the process of selecting units from throughout the country to form multi-state cyber protection teams.

In 2013, Gillibrand and other lawmakers introduced a bill to create a National Guard cyber response team in each state. The military spending bill currently pending in Congress would require the Pentagon to begin planning for a cyber team in each state’s reserve forces.