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Cyber Sense Act of 2020

Floor Speech

By: Bob Latta
By: Bob Latta
Date: Sept. 29, 2020
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my friend, the ranking Republican Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, for yielding.

I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 360, the Cyber Sense Act.

This legislation is one of two bipartisan bills that my friend from California, Congressman McNerney, and I have worked on over the past two Congresses to improve the resiliency of our Nation's electric grid against cyberattacks. The second, H.R. 359, will be considered following this debate, and I urge my colleagues to also support it.

Mr. Speaker, over the last quarter century, we have seen incredible changes in the way we communicate with the rest of the world and the way we engage in commerce. Along with these changes, we have also seen innovations in technologies that power society, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined electric grid.

Our country's grid has maintained a high level of reliability as our society has undertaken these changes, which is a fact that should not be taken for granted.

Unfortunately, the promise of a more interconnected society also means we must also address the challenges and vulnerabilities that arise with it. Every day, malignant actors, ranging from individuals, hackers, and foreign states, are attempting to exploit vulnerabilities in our electric grid to cause chaos or for other nefarious purposes.

To improve and protect our Nation's grid, I introduced the Cyber Sense Act, which would create a voluntary Cyber Sense program within the United States Department of Energy to identify and promote cyber- secure products for use in the bulk-power system. It would also establish a testing process for the products along with a reporting process of cybersecurity vulnerability.

This legislation was unanimously reported out of the Energy and Commerce Committee last year and is supported by the Department of Energy, and industry.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the full committee Chairman Pallone, Subcommittee Chairman Rush; the full committee Republican Ranking Member Walden, and also subcommittee Ranking Member Upton; and both the majority and minority E&C staff for helping us get these bills where they are today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Cyber Sense Act as well as H.R. 359.

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