GOP senators call for delay on cybersecurity bill

Seven Republican senators urged Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to slow down a cybersecurity bill and allow for more committees to amend the legislation.

Sens Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), John McCain (R-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) said the cybersecurity bill "does not satisfy our substantive concerns, nor does it satisfy our process concerns." "Given the serious national security and economic consequences of any legislation, it is imperative that the other committees of jurisdiction be given the opportunity to shape the legislative outcome in a bipartisan manner," the senators wrote. The lawmakers, who serve as the ranking Republicans on the Commerce, Intelligence, Judiciary, Energy, Armed Services, Budget and Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committees, said all of their panels should have the opportunity to hold hearings and markup the legislation.

In a statement, Sen Reid said the bill is the "product of more than three years of bipartisan cooperation across several committees" and that given the urgency of the threat, he will "move quickly to bring this legislation to the Senate floor.”