President Obama had it right when he said that he would make cybersecurity a priority of his administration. That was back in May and things have progressed since then. For example, just last week, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano cut the ribbon on the new the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), a new cybersecurity command-and-control data center in Arlington, VA.

That said, a visible gap in the President’s plan remains. At his press event in May, the President promised to appoint a cybersecurity coordinator as a member of the National Security Council (NSC) and National Economic Council (NEC). Unfortunately, this position remains open.

Over the past few months, the cybersecurity coordinator position has become a proverbial political football. First, the Bipartisan House Cybersecurity Caucus sent a letter to the President urging him to fill this role as soon as possible. This advice has since been echoed by Representative Yvette Clark (D-NY) and the tech industry group TechAmerica.

While the pressure on the President mounts, others on Capitol Hill are also chiming in. Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) agrees that the cybersecurity coordinator role should reside in the White House, but the Senator plans to introduce a bill that specifies the cybersecurity coordinator’s role and wants to require a Senate confirmation for the individual. Meanwhile, Lieberman’s colleague Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has been extremely vocal in her opposition to this plan. She believes that the cybersecurity coordinator should report into DHS and not the White House.

Note to Washington: Political wrangling like this is exactly why most Americans remain cynical–it seems like Washington is the place where critical issues go to die.

Personally, I believe that the cybersecurity coordinator needs to be in the White House and extremely visible to the president — not buried in the biggest bureaucracy in the land — but that’s my opinion. Aside from this, however, I believe we need to appoint a cybersecurity coordinator ASAP and then make adjustments to this person’s responsibilities, relationships, and reporting structure over time. Cybersecurity is a critical issue that needs immediate attention, not more debate and analysis.

Two other notes to Washington:

1. Cybercriminals are not waiting around for you guys to make up your collective minds. Every day you delay is costing American citizens and businesses a lot more money.
2. If there is a major cybersecurity attack soon, these delays will mean that Washington will be held accountable. Must we learn this way again?

Related posts:

1. Howard Schmidt Appointed as New Cybersecurity Coordinator
2. House Cybersecurity Bill Passes. What’s Next?
3. President Obama’s Cybersecurity Coordinator Priorities
4. Why Are There Still So Many Problems with The Federal Cybersecurity Effort?
5. National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Wait until next year!

Tags: Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity coordinator, DHS, Federal Government, President Obama, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Senator Susan Collins