Several House Democrats are attempting to restrict Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s ability to close his department’s cyber office with an amendment added to a House appropriations bill.
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) filed the amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 on Aug. 23. If passed, the amendment would block Tillerson from using funds appropriated in the bill for the purpose of closing his department’s Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues or merging it with any other office.
Tillerson announced plans in July to potentially shutter the department’s cyber coordination office as a part of an agency-wide reorganization.The State Department’s lead cyber diplomacy official since 2011, Christ Painter, also resigned from his position at the end of last month.
The amendment also stipulates that funds made available under the House spending bill for State Department cyber activities can’t be transferred to any other agency or department unless authorized by law.
The spending bill was first introduced on July 21 and would appropriate funds for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Co-sponsors of the amendment include House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).