Senators debate terms of cybersecurity overhaul

A debate is emerging in the Senate over key aspects of recently introduced cybersecurity legislation, including which agency should be in charge of protecting the country's civilian networks and how much authority the president should have in the event of a cyberattack.

The turf battle over cybersecurity is longstanding, but with more than twenty cybersecurity bills in front of Congress, it is beginning to pick up steam; Senate leadership has indicated it hopes to pass a law by the end of 2010. In particular, three bills introduced in the Senate have prompted a back-and-forth over which agency — and committee — should have oversight over civilian cybersecurity.