In its statement, the administration expressed concerns with CISPA. W.H. issues veto threat against CISPA

The White House issued a veto threat Wednesday against the current version of CISPA as House Republicans prepared to take it to the floor.

Just as the House Rules Committee convened to weigh amendments to the measure, spearheaded by Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), the administration released a formal policy statement that raised the stakes: It said President Barack Obama’s advisers would recommend that the president veto the bill unless there are significant changes to boost privacy protections, add new protections on users' personal information and alter its liability protection language.


"The administration looks forward to continuing to engage with the Congress in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to enact cybersecurity legislation to address these critical issues," it continued. "However, for the reasons stated herein, if H.R. 3523 were presented to the president, his senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill."

Testifying before the Rules Committee, CISPA’s sponsor expressed confidence proponents could satisfy the White House's concerns.

"This is just, I think, them kicking up some dust," said Rogers, who is backing a number of amendments that would try to address many of the issues raised by the administration.

"We think we can answer questions to get it to a place where the president will sign it," Rogers said.

In its statement, the administration expressed concern that CISPA, as written now, would allow "broad sharing of information with governmental entities without establishing requirements for both industry and the government to minimize and protect personally identifiable information."

"Moreover, such sharing should be accomplished in a way that permits appropriate sharing within the government without undue restrictions imposed by private sector companies that share information," the statement continues.

The administration further notes CISPA, as it stands, lacks "sufficient limitations" with respect to the sharing of personal information between entities, and inadequate protections on the use of that data. And the administration raises issues with its tact on liability protections.

"H.R. 3523 effectively treats domestic cybersecurity as an intelligence activity and thus, significantly departs from longstanding efforts to treat the Internet and cyberspace as civilian spheres," the statement notes.

( Also on POLITICO: War over CISPA)

The White House had articulated some of its thinking about the need to protect critical infrastructure as part of a cybersecurity legislative package it sent to Congress months ago.

Those items, which are absent from the House's flagship cybersecurity bill, represent the most critical elements of the Senate's proposal — a bill that administration officials have already backed, and an issue it raised in its statement Wednesday.

In recent days, the White House had declined to comment on CISPA directly — saying only that any bill should have “robust protection for privacy and civil liberties” and “narrowly crafted liability protections.” Officials did not comment during a conference call Monday whether they would veto the House bill.

Nevertheless, a vote on CISPA is expected later this week. And Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), one of the key sponsors of the Senate's bill, told POLITICO this week he believes the cybersecurity reform measure could see Senate floor time next month.

Jennifer Martinez contributed to this report.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 3:55 p.m. on April 25, 2012.