Langevin Floor Statement: Urges Support for Protecting Against Cyber Attacks

Speaking on the House floor, Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) outlined his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, highlighting how the amendment would protect our cybersecurity, as well as the consequences of inaction on this critical national security issue. The amendment, which consists of the provisions of his bipartisan Executive Cyberspace Coordination Act, includes a budget offset and would not add to the deficit.

As in a similar amendment he offered last year that passed the House without objection from either party, the centerpiece of the legislation establishes a National Office of Cyberspace in the Executive Office of the President to address the lack of coordination and focus in our cybersecurity policy without someone working across government agencies. Like other provisions of the bill, this recommendation is drawn from the bipartisan CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, which Langevin co-chaired.

Langevin has pressed for action on this issue to come before an attack occurs, noting the potential damage of an attack on our critical infrastructure, which could leave millions without power or access to financial institutions. Furthermore, the Wikileaks incident and numerous recent examples of citizens having private records stolen have drawn attention to the importance of better protections for digital information.
 

Remarks of Congressman Jim Langevin
Amendment on Federal Cybersecurity Coordination
Fiscal year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act
May 25, 2011

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to join me in support of my amendment to help secure and protect our nation from cyber attacks. My amendment would coordinate federal information security policy by creating a National Office for Cyberspace, update our federal information security management practices, and establish measures for the protection of critical infrastructure from cyber attacks. This amendment passed the House last year without objection. 

In the intervening year, the threats we face in cyberspace have multiplied. Three months ago, the Director of the CIA told Congress that the next Pearl Harbor could very well be a cyber attack. Shortly after, the Los Angeles Times reported on a computer hacker who, in a test of a Southern California water system, took control of the equipment that added chemicals to the water. The article stated, “with a few mouse clicks, he could have rendered the water undrinkable for millions of homes.”

My amendment would secure our government-owned IT networks against massive data breaches and attacks by implementing recommendations of the CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity, which I co-chaired, last year’s committee work on Oversight and Government Reform, and several recent White House proposals.

My amendment focuses on coordination of efforts to secure our federal networks, develop smarter cyber policies, and protect critical infrastructure like the power grid. It also establishes a Senate-confirmed National Cyberspace Office in the Executive Office of the President. 

This amendment was included in the House-passed FY11 National Defense Authorization Act and helped spark renewed action in Congress on this critical issue. With so much progress underway in the Executive branch and in the other Chamber, I believe it is critical for the House to once again take a stand on this issue and make the investments necessary to protect our networks in cyberspace. I would note here that my offset is based on previous estimates of the cost of these provisions, which I firmly believe will be lowered once it is re-scored. However, even this cost is dwarfed by the tremendous costs of inaction, which if a successful cyber attack were carried out on critical infrastructure could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in losses. 

Last year alone, researchers recorded 662 breaches at large companies or federal agencies that left 16.2 million records exposed. This data enables cyber criminals to prey on citizens and companies, with some estimates putting the cost of cyber threats to our economy at $8 billion annually. But these threats don’t just come from criminals. 

It is believed that there are approximately 1.8 billion attacks on our government servers every month. Cyber incidents have targeted some of our most sensitive national security data, potentially allowing a foreign intelligence agency to gain a “digital beachhead” on our classified and unclassified networks. A larger investment in the security of these networks, which has already been initiated at the direction of the White House, will yield huge efficiencies for our IT systems in the long run, while protecting information critical to our security.

Traditionally, no matter how fractious the debate in Washington becomes, we have put aside partisanship when it comes to protecting the American people. Cyber attacks pose a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States and this legislation takes significant steps toward stopping these threats. I urge your support of this amendment to keep our nation safe from cyber attacks.