Pallone and Rush Applaud House Passage of Three Bipartisan Energy Cybersecurity Bills

Statement

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) released the following joint statement after the House of Representatives passed three energy cybersecurity bills today:

"The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack was painful proof that bad actors are increasingly focused on exploiting and attacking our nation's most critical infrastructure. It's absolutely crucial that we keep pace with the tools and resources necessary to both stop and mitigate fallout from these cyberattacks, and thankfully, today the House voted to do just that. The three bipartisan pieces of energy cybersecurity legislation passed today will enhance the security and resiliency of our energy system and represent the first legislative step toward addressing growing cybersecurity threats on our energy infrastructure. We are grateful to all the sponsors for their bipartisan work and urge swift consideration in the Senate."

The House of Representatives passed the following three bills:

H.R. 3119, the "Energy Emergency Leadership Act," which was introduced by Chairman Rush and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI). It will help elevate energy emergency and cybersecurity responsibilities as a core function for the Department of Energy. The bill was passed by voice vote.

H.R. 2931, the "Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act," which was introduced by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Bob Latta (R-OH). It directs the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with states, other Federal agencies, and industry stakeholders, to create and implement a program to enhance the physical and cyber security of electric utilities. The bill was passed by voice vote.

H.R. 2928, the "Cyber Sense Act of 2021," which was introduced by Latta and McNerney. It will bolster U.S. electric infrastructure by encouraging coordination between the Department of Energy and electric utilities. The bill passed by an en bloc vote of 319-105.

Source