Senate Commerce postpones cybersecurity hearing

The Senate Commerce Committee has postponed a cybersecurity hearing scheduled for Tuesday while Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) attends the funeral of a close friend.

The hearing was scheduled to feature witnesses representing Verizon, IBM and the FBI along with Thomas Kellerman, a vice president with the security firm Core Security Technologies. It will be re-scheduled and is likely to take place in May.

Rockefeller released a statement on Friday mourning the passing of federal Judge M. Blane Michael, who he called his "dearest friend and confidant."

“There are certain times when words can’t fully express our thoughts and feelings, and there are certain people whom words can’t adequately describe. Today is, sadly, one of those times, and Blane Michael is certainly one of those people," Rockefeller said.

Rockefeller is one of the key players involved in discussions among Senate Democrats on comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, but the debate over which committee should have jurisdiction remains the main point of contention.

The Commerce and Homeland Security Committees both staked claims last year via legislation that would put the Commerce Department and DHS, respectively, in charge of regulating the security of private-sector firms deemed critical to the nation's physical and economic security.

The GOP's control of the House further complicates the path for any comprehensive bill, since Republicans have shown resistance to giving any civilian agency authority to mandate security standards for private firms.

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) has introduced a bill that mirrors the Senate Homeland Security Committee's approach, but that bill faces an uphill climb in the House. Incentives and expanding the military's jurisdiction to include private networks have been discussed as possible alternatives.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) has been adamant that Democrats will settle the standoff and pass a comprehensive bill before the end of the year.

Sources told The Hill the most likely route for any cybersecurity legislation is through tacking less controversial measures such as Federal Information Security Management Act reform or notification requirements on to larger spending bills.

The Obama administration has also promised to step up its efforts at increasing security through public-private partnerships, though experts expressed skepticism at the efficacy of the approach at a House Homeland Security hearing earlier this month.