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Rep. Lieu questions federal CISO on cybersecurity plans

September 28, 2016

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) in a letter quizzed newly appointed federal Chief Information Office (CISO) Gen. Greg Touhill on whether or not he feels the General Accounting Office's (GAO) cybersecurity recommendations should be implemented.

Lieu, who sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, queried Touhill on Sept. 27 as to why no action has been taken on the GAO's suggestions and what Congress needs to do to help address the nation's cybersecurity needs.

“Cybersecurity attacks on our federal government have increased by 1,300 percent in ten years. Yet over 1,000 GAO recommendations to improve cybersecurity have failed to be implemented by federal agencies as of September 16, 2016,” Lieu wrote.

Lieu's also asked Touhill for his thoughts on the GAO recommendations and then offered his office's assistance to protect the government's computer networks.

Touhill was named as the first federal CISO on Sept. 8.