Obama's Internet Bill

The bill would give the President the ability to disconnect government and private networks in an instant. This news is not going down well in the private sector that views the bill as too broad and wide ranging.

Cybersecurity bill proposes giving government agency broad power during attacks

Aug 28, 2009 - A Senate bill introduced earlier this year and still under consideration would give the president the power to shut down and disconnect any government or private computer network or system that is compromised by a cyberattack.

Meanwhile, a revised version of the bill still includes the presidential powers provision, despite protests from Internet companies and technology organizations, according to a report today on CNET...

“From American telecommunications to the power grid, virtually anything networked to some other computer is potentially fair game to [President Barack] Obama to exercise ‘emergency powers,’ " Crews said...

The bill, S. 773, was introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). The measure was referred to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in April.

One section of the bill says the president “may order the disconnection of any federal government or United States critical infrastructure information systems or networks in the interest of national security.” ...

http://fcw.com