Andy Ozment, assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications at the Department of Homeland Security, testified before a Senate panel on the $1.4 billion proposed cyber budget for fiscal year 2016 at DHS, Federal News Radio reported Wednesday.Sean McCalley writes that Ozment highlighted DHS’ desire for the increased budget to support DHS cyber efforts in a recent hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee’s homeland security subcommittee.
The DHS cyber budget request covers cyber criminal investigations, continuous diagnostic monitoring and the department’s Network Security Deployment division and CyberSkills Management Support Initiative, the report said.
“The CFO and CIO councils work together to clearly define budgetary needs for cybersecurity efforts in 2016 and into the near future,” Luke McCormack, DHS chief information officer, said in his own testimony.
“As [the National Protection and Programs Directorate] coordinates the federal response to cyber incidents, we collaborate with them on many federal cybersecurity programs.”
McCormack noted that the collaboration includes both internal and external partnerships.
McCalley reports that work on programs like the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program is among the top funding priorities.
