House chair questions Ridge on cybersecurity plans

A House committee chairman on Wednesday requested information from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge about his department's plans to "lead the government-wide cybersecurity coordination effort."

In a letter to Ridge, Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., expressed concern over the administration's decision to eliminate the position of White House special adviser on cybersecurity and to move portions of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Board from the White House to the Homeland Security Department.

"It is unclear how the administration will continue its focused approach to cybersecurity," Davis wrote. "It is imperative that the department has a senior-level adviser in place to coordinate the federal government's cybersecurity efforts."