Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. LEE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.

I thank Congressman Ogles for his leadership on this legislation and for his commitment to enhancing the security of our Nation's critical infrastructure.

In recent years, the United States has faced an alarming surge in malicious cyber activity originating from groups aligned with the Government of the People's Republic of China.

These actors have demonstrated a level of sophistication and planning that reflects both significant resources and a deep understanding of the essential systems that keep our country functioning.

Groups associated with the PRC, including those known as Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and others, have directed their attention toward the networks that deliver power, water, communications, transportation services, and other foundational systems relied upon by millions of Americans every day.

Their operations have shown a clear pattern. They look for ways to enter sensitive environments. They work to remain there as long as possible. They study the systems they infiltrate so that their presence blends into normal activity.

This type of long-term access is particularly concerning. When an adversary establishes persistent access to critical systems, even access that appears dormant, it creates the possibility of disruption at a future date.

The United States cannot allow foreign actors to position themselves in ways that could compromise public safety, interrupt essential services, or hinder our ability to respond in times of crisis.

The scale of targeting has also continued to expand. These cyber actors are now looking across multiple sectors at once, which means that our national response must be organized in a way that can match the breadth of the threat.

Federal responsibilities for protecting critical infrastructure are distributed across several departments, and each department has specific missions and authorities. That structure often works well during normal operations, but when confronted with a fast-moving and coordinated foreign threat, it can create gaps in communication and delay collective action.

H.R. 2659 provides a clear and practical solution to this challenge. The bill directs the creation of a joint interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This task force will bring together the agencies responsible for overseeing individual sectors, the intelligence community, and other Federal partners. The purpose is to ensure that all relevant entities are sharing information, planning together, and taking action with a common understanding of the threat.

The legislation also strengthens the role of Congress by ensuring that we receive timely, comprehensive assessments of the threat landscape. These reports will help us understand sector-specific vulnerabilities, the methods used by the PRC-linked cyber actors, the potential consequences of disruption during a crisis, and the extent to which Federal agencies may need additional tools or authorities.

This ongoing visibility is vital for effective oversight and for developing policies that reflect current and emerging challenges.

H.R. 2659 is a thoughtful and necessary step toward improving the resilience of our critical infrastructure. It lays the groundwork for a more unified and prepared Federal approach. It supports the operators who manage vital systems across our country. It strengthens our national posture against a foreign adversary that has already shown its willingness to target essential American services.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

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