Beth Cobert nominated to head personnel agency hacked by Chinese

President Obama Tuesday nominated Beth Cobert, acting head of the Office of Personnel Management, to serve as director of the agency where millions of files of current and former federal employees were hacked earlier this year.

“Beth will bring tremendous depth and quality of experience to her role as Director of the Office of Personnel Management,” Mr. Obama said in a statement. “As acting director, Beth has effectively pursued strategies to strengthen cybersecurity and improve the way the government serves citizens, businesses, and the federal workforce both past and present.”

Ms. Cobert took over as acting director at OPM in July, with the agency reeling from the largest cyberattack in U.S. history, reportedly carried out by Chinese agents. She also serves as deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said he hopes the president will use the nomination “to more thoroughly address the legitimate concerns of the American people regarding the cyberattack at OPM, particularly the millions who have been harmed by the lack of competence in confronting the attack.”

“The president and his team need to give the American people renewed confidence, and that means pledging to work with policymakers to enact real reforms rather than accepting failure,” Mr. McConnell said. “I look forward to hearing the nominee’s ideas for protecting Americans’ private information, for contacting the millions affected by the attack that inexplicably have not yet heard from OPM, and ensuring that federal employees are not subject to the threat of another massive hack of their private information.”