The new chairman of the committee intends to change the approach to data security.
US Senator Rand Paul intends to reconsider the fate of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which could affect the future of American cyber defense. The new control of the Senate by Republicans allows Paul to take the post of chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which oversees the work of CISA.
Paul is known for his frequent criticism of CISA, especially regarding its efforts to combat disinformation in the context of the 2020 presidential election. The senator has repeatedly stated that the agency violates freedom of speech, and expressed a desire to either eliminate it or limit its powers. In a recent interview with Politico, he stressed the importance of the First Amendment and said he would like to eliminate any CISA ability to censor content.
Paul also regularly accuses the U.S. government of working with tech companies to limit the spread of information. In 2023, at one of the meetings, he said that he did not support expanding the powers of CISA, as long as the agency, in his opinion, "observes Americans and regulates their speech." CISA has repeatedly denied such accusations.
The senator also expressed concern about the 50% increase in the CISA budget since its creation in 2018. The agency, created under the administration of Donald Trump, is engaged in defense against cyberattacks, including threats from foreign states, and claims that the 2020 election was held safely, which caused a conflict with Trump and his supporters.
Despite the harsh criticism, Paul admits that the complete abolition of CISA is unlikely. Not only Democrats, but also some Republicans will oppose his initiatives, since cybersecurity issues in the United States remain one of the few topics for bipartisan consensus.
Source
US Senator Rand Paul intends to reconsider the fate of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which could affect the future of American cyber defense. The new control of the Senate by Republicans allows Paul to take the post of chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which oversees the work of CISA.
Paul is known for his frequent criticism of CISA, especially regarding its efforts to combat disinformation in the context of the 2020 presidential election. The senator has repeatedly stated that the agency violates freedom of speech, and expressed a desire to either eliminate it or limit its powers. In a recent interview with Politico, he stressed the importance of the First Amendment and said he would like to eliminate any CISA ability to censor content.
Paul also regularly accuses the U.S. government of working with tech companies to limit the spread of information. In 2023, at one of the meetings, he said that he did not support expanding the powers of CISA, as long as the agency, in his opinion, "observes Americans and regulates their speech." CISA has repeatedly denied such accusations.
The senator also expressed concern about the 50% increase in the CISA budget since its creation in 2018. The agency, created under the administration of Donald Trump, is engaged in defense against cyberattacks, including threats from foreign states, and claims that the 2020 election was held safely, which caused a conflict with Trump and his supporters.
Despite the harsh criticism, Paul admits that the complete abolition of CISA is unlikely. Not only Democrats, but also some Republicans will oppose his initiatives, since cybersecurity issues in the United States remain one of the few topics for bipartisan consensus.
Source
