ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 12, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the release of President Obama’s Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal:
“I commend President Barack Obama and Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt on this major step toward ensuring the security of our nation’s digital networks and protecting critical data. The President’s comprehensive proposal protects our infrastructure, our government and our citizens from cyber threats and data breaches. Cyber threat is, as President Obama stated in 2009, ‘one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation.’
“In January 2010, I joined Senator Barbara Mikulski and other members of Maryland’s congressional delegation to announce the CyberMaryland initiative, an ambitious plan to position the state as the nation’s epicenter of cybersecurity. In the past 15 months, public sector, private industry and academia have worked together to implement the initiative’s recommendations.
“With an abundance of cybersecurity assets – the U.S. Cyber Command, the National Security Agency and other federal agencies engaged in cybersecurity activities; major cybersecurity companies and entrepreneurs offering the full spectrum of cyber-related products and services; and the nation’s top-rated public schools and renowned colleges and universities training future generations of cyber warriors – Maryland plays a strategic role in discovery, detection and defense in this emerging field.
“I am tremendously proud of Maryland’s leadership in cybersecurity. Our state was one of the first to implement significant cybersecurity protection initiatives.
“We fully support the President’s proposed legislation to strengthen and enhance the nation’s cybersecurity efforts and stand ready to assume even greater responsibilities in this endeavor.”
In 2010, Governor O’Malley launched CyberMaryland, to establish Maryland as the nation’s epicenter for cybersecurity. The Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) has established aCybersecurity Policy based on international best practices. In addition to the policy, DoIT is a leader cybersecurity awareness trainings for Maryland state agencies and employees during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Governor O’Malley was appointed to the nation’s first ever Council of Governors by President Obama on January 11, 2010. The Council was established by the President through Executive Order to further strengthen the partnership between the Federal Government and State Governments to protect the Nation against all types of hazards, including protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure. The Governor is also co-Lead on Homeland Security for the National Governors’ Association Public Safety Task Force and serves on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council, where he looks forward to drafting recommendations that will help shape national homeland security policy.
