- What: Delia Ramirez becomes top House cybersecurity Democrat
- Impact: Changes in U.S. cybersecurity leadership and policy focus
Illinois Rep. Delia Ramirez is taking over as the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security panelâs cybersecurity subcommittee, replacing former Rep. Eric Swalwell after his resignation. Committee Democrats approved the change Tuesday at a meeting prior to a âshadow hearingâ without the GOP majority, focused on protecting elections from Trump administration interference. Ramirez first won election to Congress in 2022 and was reelected in 2024. She has served as the vice ranking member of the committee since 2023. She is now the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection. She has leveled criticisms during committee hearings about the Trump administrationâs personnel cutbacks at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and was critical of how data was secured under the administrationâs Department of Government Efficiency initiative led by Elon Musk. âUnder a Musk and Trump presidency, itâs clear that the security of Americansâ information is not a priority. I mean, a private civilian with no security clearance bullied his way into the Treasury, set up private servers, and stole sensitive information from an agency. If that isnât a national security crisis, a cybersecurity crisis âthen I donât know what is,â Ramirez said at an early 2025 hearing . âThe true threat to our homeland security is âfElonâ Musk, Trump, and their blatant misuse of power to steal information and coerce employees to leave agencies.â She cosponsored legislation last year meant to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce by promoting measures to help workers from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities to join the field. But she also had criticisms of U.S. cybersecurity under the Biden administration, including of Microsoftâs role in the SolarWinds breach. Swalwell left the position following his resignation from Congress as a representative from California amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Her ascension completes a full leadership turnover for the subcommittee. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., took over the gavel late last year after former chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., took over as chairman of the full committee. The subcommittee is set to hold a hearing Wednesday on CISA and its role as the sector risk management agency for a number of critical infrastructure sectors. A spokesperson for Ramirez did not immediately respond to a request for comment about her new role. The post Rep. Delia Ramirez takes over as top House cybersecurity Dem appeared first on CyberScoop .