Rep Langevin defends CISPA, points to 'rigorous privacy requirements'

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) defended his vote for a controversial cybersecurity bill, saying the measure includes "rigorous privacy requirements."

The White House has threatened to veto the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) over concerns that it would lead companies to hand over their customers' private information to government spy agencies. In a speech at a cybersecurity symposium in Rhode Island, Rep Langevin said CISPA would help private companies protect their computer networks from hackers. "CISPA creates a voluntary information sharing network, with rigorous privacy requirements in place, that will provide private sector and many critical infrastructure entities with classified threat information to allow them to better secure their networks," Rep Langevin said. "It will also permit those entities to provide limited threat information back to the federal government, helping to provide situational awareness, or 'radar,' that we so desperately need to better understand the nature of the increasingly sophisticated threats arrayed against U.S. interests in cyberspace."