Congress to take up cybersecurity bill, prompting concern over privacy

In Washington, D.C. today, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate re-elected their party leaders and laid out their policy priorities for the short term before the holidays. Both sides have also been angling for the allegiance of newly elected Independent Senator Angus King from Maine, who only made a decision after learning that remaining completely neutral would cut him out of the committee process.

"And so I have decided to affiliate myself with the Democratic Caucus, because doing so will allow me to take independent positions on issues as they arise, and at the same time will allow me to be an effective representative with the people of Maine."

King noted that the only two Independent Senators currently serving in Congress, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, also caucus with the Democrats. With the membership and leadership of the Senate hammered out, lawmakers are getting down to business. But with the Farm Bill, Defense Authorization Act, Violence Against Women Act, Hurricane Sandy disaster aid and US Postal Service rescue bill still left incomplete, the Senate is using its first days back in session to consider the Sportsmen’s Act, which allows for more hunting and fishing on public land. Lawmakers are scheduled to consider a Cybersecurity bill next, which has privacy and civil liberties advocates concerned. On Capitol Hill, FSRN’s Alice Ollstein has more.