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Landrieu Pushes to Locate Cybersecurity Jobs in Louisiana, Not Washington(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The office of Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, pushed for cybersecurity jobs to be located in areas of Louisiana, including the I-20 High-Tech Corridor, instead of Washington, D.C., at today's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. Sen. Landrieu voiced concerns about current legislation that attempts to address critical challenges within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in hiring and retaining cybersecurity professionals. "From my perspective, one of the solutions to our problem is to get out of the Washington Beltway and find talent in America. We have great potential in Louisiana to develop the cyber corridor along I-20. Universities in Louisiana are developing promising graduates that are pursuing jobs within the cyber workforce, but these graduates should not have to move to Washington to find work, the jobs should be back home," Sen. Landrieu said. "When the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and I toured the cyber corridor along I-20 in North Louisiana, it was evident that Louisiana is contributing to the cybersecurity work force and creating high-paying tech jobs along the I-20 corridor through partnerships with Louisiana Tech and other universities throughout North Louisiana. Cybersecurity jobs should be expanded to places like the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City and CenturyLink in Monroe, not concentrated in Washington. The details within this legislation are not quite right for our economy, or for the taxpayers." "While it is important to recruit the highest, best qualified individuals to contribute to preventing cyber attacks, we must expand our network of experts beyond Washington, D.C. to ensure a larger support system to prevent possible attacks on our cyber infrastructure," said Sen. Landrieu. "We cannot depend solely on a concentration of resources in Washington. The power to fight back against possible attacks does not lie in Washington--but with hard-working people across the country, like in Bossier City and Monroe, La." During the last several years, Sen. Landrieu has worked to secure funding and policies necessary to expand the cybersecurity workforce in Louisiana. She secured $792 million for cyber security and cyber education in FY2014 Homeland Security Appropriations bill that Congress passed last month, including $25.9 million invested directly in cyber security education and awareness development. TNS30VitinMar-140522-4744055 30VitinMar (c) 2014 Targeted News Service [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] |