Letter to Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McConnell, and Minority Leader McCarthy - Address K-12 Cyber Security in Build Back Better Agenda

Letter

Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McConnell, and Minority
Leader McCarthy:

While cyber-attacks on pipelines and meat processing plants have garnered national media
attention, an equally severe threat has gone relatively unnoticed: cyber incidents targeting
America's K-12 schools. Resource-constrained K-12 schools are struggling to keep up with the
increasing frequency and severity of cyber threats, and our students and educators may pay the
price. As students enter a new school year, we urge you to include additional K-12 cybersecurity
support in legislation to execute President Biden's Build Back Better agenda.

Although it is difficult to gather accurate, up-to-date information on cybercrime, one thing is
clear: cybercriminals are getting better at targeting K-12 schools. According to the K-12
Cybersecurity Resource Center, from 2016-2020 there were over 1,100 publicly disclosed cyber
incidents involving 988 education organizations across all 50 states. In 2020 alone, there were
more than 400 successful cyber incidents including ransomware, data breaches, and denial-ofservice attacks, among others. All of this translates to more than two incidents per school day--a
nearly 20 percent increase from the previous year--and a record number of cyber incidents for
the second year in a row.

In the face of this well-documented threat, Congress must act by putting real resources on the
table. While studies and best practices can help inform our national response, the federal
government must be a meaningful partner to state and local governments as we work to
remediate cyber vulnerabilities and protect America's schools. The bipartisan Enhancing K-12
Cybersecurity Act would help fulfill this responsibility by authorizing $20 million over two
years to promote a more secure digital environment for students and educators. The Enhancing
K-12 Cybersecurity Act includes three provisions to promote access to information, better track
cyber incidents nationally, and invest in enhanced K-12 cybersecurity capabilities.

First, the bill would create a cybersecurity information exchange to help promote new
information about emerging cyber threats and grant opportunities for K-12 schools. Second, it
would establish a cybersecurity incident registry to improve our ability to monitor nationwide
cyber incidents and the financial impact of cyberattacks. And finally, it would create a K-12
Cybersecurity Technology Improvement Program to ensure the federal government partners with
organizations to provide no-cost, 24-7-365 cyber protection services and cutting-edge technology
for our K-12 schools.

As families across the country begin a new school year, they will face many challenges. With an
emergent Delta variant causing severe uncertainty, Congress should not let cybersecurity be a
reason for further disruption. We strongly urge you to include the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity
Act as part of Build Back Better legislation.

Doris O. Matsui
Member of Congress

James R. Langevin
Member of Congress

Deborah K. Ross
Member of Congress

Tony Cárdenas
Member of Congress

Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress

C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger
Member of Congress

Source