Cybersecurity bill fails to pass senate.

• Position: CYBERSECURITY

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Just before its August break, the U.S. Senate voted down the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, which proponents say would have helped protect the government and industry from potentially devastating cyberattacks.

The bill was introduced by Sens. Joe Lieberman (IConn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

According to a CNN report, John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said the act would have given the government the three legislative elements it needs to fend off cyberattacks: "new threat- information-sharing between the government and private industry, better protection of critical infrastructure such as the power grid and water filtration facilities, and authority for the Department of Homeland Security to unite federal resources to lead the government's cybersecurity team."

In debates over the bill and some of its 50 proposed amendments, Congress was divided over the role government should play in setting standards for private sector computer networks...