Supply Chain Security Training Act of 2021

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, recent cyberattacks on the U.S. Government continue to reveal weaknesses in our Federal information technology systems. One such weakness resides in the software products Federal agencies purchase from the private sector.

IT and software products, like most goods and services, now rely on global supply chains for their development, and this means increased vulnerabilities to threats from malicious and criminal actors, as well as our foreign enemies, as my colleague, Mr. Connolly, just recognized.

Congress must ensure Federal agencies proactively address supply chain security risks. The Supply Chain Security Training Act will ensure the Federal workforce properly understands these supply chain risks and the appropriate policies to implement to address the risks.

Specifically, the bill tasks the General Services Administration with developing, and the Office of Management and Budget, OMB, with implementing a governmentwide supply chain security training program. This training will prepare the Federal workforce to better identify and mitigate the security risks throughout the acquisition lifecycle of information and communications technology products and services. For instance, Federal agency personnel would be better able to recognize and avoid purchasing software products with malware vulnerabilities.

This is smart legislation that builds on existing congressional reforms. For instance, the bill requires coordination with the existing Federal Acquisition Security Council, an interagency effort established by Congress in 2018 to develop policies and procedures addressing supply chain risks.

Despite these existing efforts, there are currently no Federal workforce training requirements in place to ensure supply chain security policies are properly and consistently implemented. The national security stakes are too high to leave such a strategic gap in our Federal defenses.

S. 2201 represents a practical policy reform to a very real threat. I appreciate my colleagues Representatives Neguse and Franklin's leadership on championing the House companion bill, H.R. 5962.

I look forward to seeing the Supply Chain Security Training Act pass the House and advance to the President's desk.

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I also want to again recognize my colleagues, Representatives Neguse and Franklin, who crafted the House companion legislation, H.R. 5962.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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