IP, Cyber Czar Picks Remain Open Question
Now a half-year into the Obama administration, two White House posts viewed as critical to the high-tech and intellectual property sectors remain vacant -- and lawmakers and industry stakeholders are getting antsy, CongressDaily's TechCentral "Issue Of The Week" reports. President Obama's picks for the cybersecurity and IP coordinator jobs have all but been finalized; individuals familiar with situation said, yet no personnel announcements have been made. "A lot of people are frustrated about this because there was so much pomp and circumstance around it," said one high-tech watchdog. A White House spokesman declined to comment on either post.
In May, Obama was joined by members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries and technology executives when he announced the cyber czar position in conjunction with the release of a 60-day review of the nation's cybersecurity posture. He pledged to handpick his cyber chief, but since then, little has been said about the post. Getting the IP enforcement coordinator in place has proven difficult despite the fact that the top candidate has been known to insiders for months. Unlike the cyber czar, the IP official is a Senate-confirmed post and the White House isn't sure where to house the individual. Read the full story here (subscription required).
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