What NSA Reform Means for Business

Washington, DC – George Meyers, Managing Partner of the Meyers Group, released the following statement in response to President Obama’s speech on reforming the National Security Agency.

“After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks people called for the government to use extraordinary measures to prevent another attack. Now, more than 12 years later Americans and politicians are changing their minds.  However, it’s going to be nearly impossible to stop an agency with as much momentum as the National Security Agency.”

“Cyber business will thrive in 2014 regardless of any changes to NSA policy from the President or Congress. If done correctly changes to NSA storage of metadata would offer new opportunities for industry.  As a result, the private sector should be largely represented in further talks on NSA reform to ensure the system becomes as efficient as possible and that the economy is strengthened in the process.

“In addition, the cyber industry will prosper from the lawmakers who allocated more fiscal resources in the federal budget to the U.S. Cyber Command, which actually falls within the jurisdiction of the NSA. The federal budget doubles the U.S. Cyber Command’s funding from the Department of Defense and increases the amount allocated to the Department of Homeland Security for defending government networks.”

###

Statement on Senate Passage of the Omnibus Spending Bill

Washington, DC – George Meyers, Managing Partner of the Meyers Group, released the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of the Omnibus Spending Bill.

“The passage of the omnibus spending bill means the Department of Defense community can finally breathe a sigh of relief.  Congress did their job by producing a bill that properly supports the men and women in the United States military. Through this bipartisan move Congress earned back a little bit of trust from the Defense Department and related industries.”

“As a retired Air Force Colonel, I know that there is nothing worse than when something beyond your control is negatively affecting those in your unit. The sequestration and government shutdown placed an unnecessary strain on the Pentagon’s moral, and efficiency. I saw first hand how through defense leaders’ resourcefulness the military’s readiness remained. However the general consensus was that it was only a matter of time when this too would be endangered.”

“For businesses this bill means that for the next two years the Department of Defense is a great place to be. The $85 billion allocated for the overseas contingency operations essentially negates the impacts of sequestration. In addition, with the increase in money for procurements, innovation and industry will thrive simultaneously and companies will be hiring more people to go after the additional opportunities.  This change from the days when sequestration cuts hung over the heads of defense and business leaders will be felt across a broad spectrum of economic platforms.”

                  ###

This Week In Washington, Jan 16, 2014

This Week In Washington
 
Top 5 Stories
 
1.      On a 359-67 vote the House passed the omnibus spending bill appropriators completed earlier this week, which will ease some of the cuts imposed by budget sequestration.
 
Look ahead: A Senate vote on the omnibus package should come Friday, Jan 17th.
 
2.      President Obama will outline his plans to reform the National Security Agency during an event Friday at the Justice Department.
 
Look ahead: Obama is expected to add new restrictions to the NSA's surveillance authority, but will not adopt all of the recommendations of the advisory panel.
 
3.      An effort to extend emergency unemployment compensation stalled in the Senate this week, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's effort to limit debate rejected on a 55-45 vote, as Democrats and Republicans sparred over the amendments process.
 
Look ahead: Lawmakers are unlikely to resume consideration of the legislation until late January.
 
4.      President Obama huddled with Senate Democrats at the White House in an effort to align the administration's agenda with the upper chamber's leadership.
 
Look ahead: The administration is urging Democrats to delay action on increased sanctions against Iran, allowing time to evaluate the multilateral agreement on the country's nuclear program.
 
5.      This week saw a flurry of retirement announcements in the House, with Reps. George Miller, D-Calif., Bill Owens, D-N.Y., Jim Moran, D-Va., and Buck McKeon, R-Calif., declining to seek reelection this fall.
 
Look ahead: These departures leave Democrats in a vulnerable position in the House this fall.
 
 
Twitter
@themeyersgroup
 

This Week In Washington, January 9, 2014

This Week In Washington

Top 5 Stories

1.    House action on a bill funding the government for the rest of the fiscal year is appearing less likely this week, but appropriators on both sides of the Capitol remain optimistic that an omnibus package can be approved before the current continuing resolution expires next Wednesday.

Look ahead: Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski said that while six bills are virtually complete, a final omnibus bill is unlikely before the weekend.

2    2.     Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow expressed optimism about the farm bill, saying this week negotiators are "just tying up loose ends."

Look ahead: Major differences remain ahead of a scheduled meeting of farm-bill conferees, with Sen. John Hoeven suggesting a number of amendment votes will be necessary before final passage.

      3.     President Obama is expected to shift his focus toward income inequality during his second term, outlining his plans during the upcoming State of the Union address.

Look ahead: The president will announce five "promise zones" in which the administration will use federal funds to aid community initiatives.

             4.  The president is meeting Thursday with leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees—and with a trio of congressional critics of the National Security Agency—to discuss the agency's surveillance programs.

Look ahead: The president is expected to increase oversight of the National Intelligence Priorities Framework and restrict the NSA's access to Americans' phone records, according to sources.

       5.     Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is "cautiously optimistic" members can craft a compromise agreement to fund the temporary extension of unemployment benefits proposed by Sens. Jack Reed and Dean Heller.

Look ahead: The bill is expected to clear a procedural hurdle, but Republicans will stop the measure cold during the next cloture vote if Reid does not allow an open amendment process.