Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act
Floor Speech
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1709, the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act.
The security of our mobile networks and devices is paramount to American security overall. Most Americans carry a cell phone or other mobile device with them all the time, and this trend is unlikely to change as we are only becoming more and more connected.
Consumers, therefore, deserve to stay in touch with their friends and family, use social media, or connect to the internet without fear of their devices being hacked. We must ensure that these devices, the networks they run on, and the vast amount of data they hold are secure and protected from the malicious actions of our foreign adversaries and other bad actors.
H.R. 1709 is an important step toward addressing these concerns.
This bill directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to report to Congress on the cybersecurity threats our mobile networks and mobile devices face at the hands of foreign adversaries and other bad actors. Among other things, the report will include an assessment of whether mobile carriers have or have not addressed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in their respective networks. It will also include an analysis of whether there are commercially available tools to help consumers evaluate the cybersecurity risks of these networks.
I thank Representatives Landsman and Cammack for their bipartisan work on this bill. It is a good step toward ensuring we can protect our mobile networks from evolving threats. I know we will continue to work toward securing our country's data, devices, and networks, whether from a foreign adversary or a domestic threat.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, as was described by the sponsor, and I urge my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.
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