WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following a Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing to consider the nomination of Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers, United States Navy, to be Director of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) once again called on Congress to take up and pass legislation that would help protect America’s critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.

“Top intelligence, military, and security officials tell me that the next major attack against the United States could be in the form of a cyber attack, and that it’s one of the most serious and immediate threats that we face,” Senator King said. “When so much of our country’s most important infrastructure, from our electric grids to our financial networks and defense systems, are growing targets for attacks, we can no longer afford to ignore their warnings. Congress must work in a bipartisan, bicameral way to consider and pass cybersecurity legislation that will improve our capabilities and protect us against an attack.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, Senator King has repeatedly voiced his concern about the danger of a cyber attack or other destructive computer network exploitation activities that could cause damage to our nation. During the confirmation hearing last year for Secretary of Defense of Chuck Hagel, Senator King warned that cyber threats “may be the war of the future.”

###