Lawmakers aim to fill cyber leadership spots in federal government

The Senate is taking new action toward filling key cybersecurity leadership vacancies with President Trump’s nominees.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 11-1 on Monday to advance Mr. Trump’s pick for national cyber director, Sean Cairncross.

Lawmakers also expect to review the president’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency later this month. 

Mr. Cairncross served in the first Trump administration as a senior adviser to the White House chief of staff. He told lawmakers that his advisory role included serving as the chief’s proxy at National Security Council meetings. 

Last month, he told lawmakers in written testimony that countering cyberattacks means being willing to engage on offense as well as defense. 

“The United States must disincentivize this type of behavior by increasing the cost and risk for malicious cyber actors and nation states,” Mr. Cairncross said. “Our adversaries present us with strategic dilemmas in this domain — defensive and offensive — and we need to do the same.”

Mr. Cairncross told lawmakers he viewed the national cyber director’s role as critical to ensuring policy alignment across the federal government, with budget coherence and collaboration. 

Following the committee vote, his nomination awaits final consideration on the Senate floor. 

Mr. Trump’s pick to lead CISA is still waiting for a committee review. Lawmakers originally planned to vet Sean Plankey last month but delayed the process. 

A committee aide told The Washington Times on Tuesday that a hearing on Mr. Plankey’s nomination was delayed because of “routine paperwork issues” and the committee planned to review his nomination alongside others in July. 

An obstacle could remain in Mr. Plankey’s way.

Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, announced plans in April to block Mr. Plankey’s nomination until CISA releases a 2022 report on telecom network security.

While the Office of the National Cyber Director and CISA await Congress’ final determinations on nominees to lead their agencies, the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command are still waiting for a nominee to lead their agencies. 

In April, Mr. Trump ousted Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who led both the NSA and Cyber Command. 

In June, the White House nixed the Pentagon’s recommended replacement for the top cyber post, according to Politico.