Sen. Coats uses 9/11 to showcase cybersecurity as next big threat

Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN) used the anniversary of Sept. 11 to highlight a looming security threat — a cyberattack. Sen Coats said Congress must act on the cybersecurity bill before it’s too late, comparing it to the intelligence breakdowns ahead of 9/11. “In the aftermath of tragedy, Congress put aside politics and worked to strengthen the country and security,” Sen Coats said in a floor speech. “Yet today, we face a different security threat ... a cyberattack, an attack using the Internet to address a system and taking it down.” Sen Coats said the threat of a cyberattack is “real and far-reaching,” and encouraged his colleagues to try once again to pass the legislation before the next recess.