A trio of Republican senators and leaders in national security - John McCain, Saxby Chambliss and John Thune - said the executive action could not “achieve the balanced approach” that a Congressional law would and pledged to ensure thorough oversight of any action directed by the order.

“The Senate should follow regular order and craft legislation that will have an immediate impact on our nation’s cybersecurity without adding or prompting regulations that could discourage innovation and negatively impact our struggling economy,” they said in a joint statement.

(Additional reporting by Joseph Menn in San Francisco)