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The top Democrat on the powerful US House Oversight and Government Reform Committeehas asked Sony Pictures Entertainment to hand over details ofwhat he describes as the "devastating cyberattack" recently suffered by the Hollywood studio.

In a letter sent to Sony on Tuesday, Elijah Cummings, thecommittee's ranking minority member, said Sony's "knowledge,information and experience" would help Congress as it examinesfederal cybersecurity laws and considers whether they need to betightened to protect government and consumer data.

The FBI has said the cyberattack was connected to the NorthKorean government, which was upset by Sony's plan this month torelease "The Interview," a comic movie in which two Americansare recruited to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Last week, Sony cancelled the film over security concerns butlater said it was still looking for ways to release it. OnMonday, Representative Brad Sherman invited the studio to screenit at the U.S. Capitol.

In his letter, Cummings asked Sony to turn over informationincluding detailed descriptions of all data breaches the companyhas suffered in the past year; the rough number of current andformer employees and customers affected by the breaches; and themanner in which victims were notified.

He also sought findings from any related forensicinvestigations or analyses, as well as assessments as to "whythe breaches went undetected for the length of time they did." Cummings asked for a description of any improvements to dataprotection mechanisms it has implemented since the breach, adescription of the procedures that govern the company'srelationships with third-party vendors and service providers,and any recommendations on how to improve cybersecurity laws orlaw enforcement.

He also requested a briefing by Jan. 19 from Sony's chiefinformation security officer or similar top IT executive.

In his letter, he cited reports indicating that in additionto deploying destructive malware, the hackers stole sensitiveinformation, including unreleased films and the personalinformation of more than 47,000 current and former employees, including social security numbers and healthcare records.

Sherman, also a Democrat, wrote Sony Pictures CEO MichaelLynton to say that a screening would demonstrate free speech."Everyone is talking about 'The Interview,'" he said. "Ithink it's important for Congress to know, and see, what we aretalking about ... Good or bad, Americans should not be deprivedof the opportunity to see this movie."

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Sony Hack: Top Congressional Democrat asks studio for hack details

Gerald Steinberg: Will Republican Congress Clash with Obama Over Israel

By: IBA News VOD

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Gerald Steinberg: Will Republican Congress Clash with Obama Over Israel - Video

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday he opposed U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to normalize relations with Cuba, and spoke of steps lawmakers might take to rein in the new policy.

Interviewed by Reuters, McConnell also said that he and the president, a Democrat, had discussed possible major tax reform legislation and that any effort should not focus on the country's biggest corporations alone, but also include help for small businesses.

On another international matter McConnell, who takes over in January as Senate majority leader, said North Korea's computer hacking of Sony Corp was more serious than an act of vandalism, taking issue with a characterization Obama had used to describe the cyberattack. McConnell declined to spell out steps he thought the United States should take in response.

"This is a serous threat to the United States," he said.

Speaking by telephone from his home state of Kentucky, McConnell said he agreed with the Senate's most outspoken critics of Obama's new Cuba policy, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, "that it was a mistake."

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Republican leader opposes Obama on Cuba

Embattled Republican Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of tax evasion, but said he would not resign his seat.

In a Brooklyn courtroom before U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen, Grimm admitted to aiding in the filing of a false tax return, according to court filings.

Grimm was indicted in April on federal charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion, employing undocumented workers, and perjury in relation to a Manhattan fast-food restaurant he once co-owned and operated.

Grimm admitted that he had made "off the books" payments to employees and under-reported nearly $1 million in gross receipts to the Internal Revenue Service and New York state tax collectors. He also admitted that he lied during a deposition about whether employees had been paid in cash, and whether he had used email accounts to operate the restaurant.

"I should not have done it and I am truly sorry for it," he told reporters outside the courtroom.

He struck a defiant tone when asked whether he would resign after the plea. "I'm going to get back to work and work as hard as I can," said the 44-year-old, who represents Staten Island.

Grimm had previously said that if he was convicted, he would step down from Congress. "Certainly, if I was not able to serve, then of course I would step aside," he said at a debate in October, according to the Associated Press.

In a 20-count indictment unsealed in April, federal prosecutors accused Grimm of under-reporting his employees wages to the IRS, paying them in envelopes full of cash, and said he had lied under oath when he claimed he was not responsible for handling payroll.

Grimm sold his interest in the restaurant before taking office in 2011, according to prosecutors.

The trial in his case was set to begin in February, according to the Associated Press. If convicted, Grimm could have faced a prison sentence of anywhere from six months for hiring undocumented workers to 20 years for each of the mail and wire fraud charges, prosecutors said.

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Rep. Michael Grimm says he won't resign after pleading guilty to tax evasion

Embattled Republican Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of tax evasion, but said he would not resign his seat.

In a Brooklyn courtroom before U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen, Grimm admitted to aiding in the filing of a false tax return, according to court filings.

Grimm was indicted in April on federal charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion, employing undocumented workers, and perjury in relation to a Manhattan fast-food restaurant he once co-owned and operated.

Grimm admitted that he had made "off the books" payments to employees and under-reported nearly $1 million in gross receipts to the Internal Revenue Service and New York state tax collectors. He also admitted that he lied during a deposition about whether employees had been paid in cash, and whether he had used email accounts to operate the restaurant.

"I should not have done it and I am truly sorry for it," he told reporters outside the courtroom.

He struck a defiant tone when asked whether he would resign after the plea. "I'm going to get back to work and work as hard as I can," said the 44-year-old, who represents Staten Island.

Grimm had previously said that if he was convicted, he would step down from Congress. "Certainly, if I was not able to serve, then of course I would step aside," he said at a debate in October, according to the Associated Press.

In a 20-count indictment unsealed in April, federal prosecutors accused Grimm of under-reporting his employees wages to the IRS, paying them in envelopes full of cash, and said he had lied under oath when he claimed he was not responsible for handling payroll.

Grimm sold his interest in the restaurant before taking office in 2011, according to prosecutors.

The trial in his case was set to begin in February, according to the Associated Press. If convicted, Grimm could have faced a prison sentence of anywhere from six months for hiring undocumented workers to 20 years for each of the mail and wire fraud charges, prosecutors said.

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Rep. Michael Grimm refuses to resign after guilty plea in tax case