Senate committee representative: CISPA will almost certainly be shelved due to privacy concernsMadison Ruppert This comes the day after it was revealed that the government is already carrying out activities like those legitimized under CISPA by issuing so-called 2511 letters. CISPA would have given programs that may currently be illegal a solid legal foothold. However, it seems that it very well may be dead, at least according to the unnamed committee representative along with Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, and Michelle Richardson, legislative counsel for the ACLU. Were not taking [CISPA] up, the committee representative said, according to U.S. News. Staff and senators are divvying up the issues and the key provisions everyone agrees would need to be handled if were going to strengthen cybersecurity. Theyll be drafting separate bills. Rockefeller previously said the passage of CISPA was important, but the legislations privacy protections are insufficient. As CNET points out, Rockefellers comments are significant as he takes up the lead on the Commerce Committee, which will be the first branch of the Senate that will debate its own cybersecurity legislation. I think its dead for now, Richardson said. CISPA is too controversial, its too expansive, its just not the same sort of program contemplated by the Senate last year. Were pleased to hear the Senate will probably pick up where it left off last year. According to Richardson, it will likely be at least three months before the Senate votes on new cybersecurity legislation. We need to be vigilant as the year moves on to make sure that whatever the next product is, its not CISPA-lite, Richardson said. I think this is probably going to take the rest of the year. Hopefully Richardson is right about the long timeframe but the unfortunate reality is that programs almost identical to those that would be authorized under CISPA are already going on. Regardless, legislation like CISPA giving blanket authorization to otherwise illegal programs should continue to be opposed. Richardson couldnt be more correct about staying vigilant. It is almost certain that if CISPA dies in the Senate in its second incarnation, it will be resurrected in one form or another to be pushed again. Image credit: cliff1066/Flickr Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store. This article first appeared at End the Lie. Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis databaseEnd The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on UCYTV Monday nights 7 PM 9 PM PT/10 PM 12 AM ET. Show page link here: http://UCY.TV/EndtheLie. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at admin@EndtheLie.com linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 