Cybersecurity Companies, NFL Offer Support for Bipartisan McCaskill Bills to Defend Against Supply Chain, Drone Threats at Senate Hearing

Press Release

At a Senate hearing today focused on evolving national security threats, two cybersecurity companies and the National Football League (NFL) offered support for bipartisan bills introduced by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which would address threats to supply chain security and threats from unmanned aircraft.

In June, McCaskill introduced a bipartisan bill with Republican Senator James Lankford to ensure government agencies consider the supply chain risks to national security when buying information technology (IT), which was mirrored by a legislative proposal by the Trump Administration. In May, McCaskill worked with Republican Chairman Ron Johnson on another bipartisan bill that would provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) with the authorities they need to protect buildings and assets when there is an unacceptable security risk to public safety posed by an unmanned aircraft.

"Supply chain risk management cannot be achieved piecemeal," McCaskill said at the hearing. "In this regard, a threat to one agency is likely a threat to many others. In June, Senator Lankford and I introduced The Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act to address this issue. … I hope this hearing will provide the Committee, federal agencies, and the public with a better understanding of how to solve this problem."

Witnesses at the hearing were Kevin Mandia, Chief Executive Officer of FireEye; Cathy Lanier, Senior Vice President of Security at the National Football League; Scott McBride, Manager of the Infrastructure Security Department at Idaho National Laboratory; and Jennifer Bisceglie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Interos Solutions.

McCaskill has long supported Congressional action to address the nation's vulnerability to 21st century national security threats both at home and abroad. In June, she voted to confirm the Administration's pick for the top cybersecurity official at the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate approved a McCaskill-backed bill in April to strengthen cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security. McCaskill also led a bipartisan effort to strengthen and enhance the Department of Homeland Security's role in protecting the country's cybersecurity by creating the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the Department, a change the Department of Homeland Security resoundingly supports.

Earlier this year, McCaskill urged Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure that all individuals going through immigration proceedings are screened against the terrorist watch list. She helped lead the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in reauthorizing the Department of Homeland Security and laying out policy priorities for the Department, including a McCaskill-led provision on strengthening counterterrorism efforts. Last year, McCaskill toured the U.S.-Mexico border to learn more about what Customs and Border Protection needs to increase border security.

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