Dim Prospects for Cybersecurity Law in 2011

"Are you old enough to remember Saturday morning cartoons like School House Rock? Last weekend, I watched the segment of this educational cartoon on how a bill becomes a law with my sons, and then we discussed how difficult it is for a bill to become a law. As the jingle explains, "I'm just a bill, on Capitol Hill. I will remain a bill until they decide to make me a law." Earlier in the summer, my children sat in the gallery as I testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies. Even better than the School House Rock episode, they received a civic lesson by watching their mom. Recently they asked me, 'When will we get legislation? Will one of these bills become a law?' The explanation wasn't as easy as the cartoon gives."