Cybersecurity Enhancement Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 4061, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act.

I want to thank Chairman Gordon, Congressman Wu, Ranking Member Hall, and Congressman McCaul for your bipartisan effort. You know, this is truly an example of working together on behalf of our citizens. If we could only do this on other issues such as health care and whatever, we would be a lot better off as a country. So thank you for your leadership, and let's continue this bipartisanship effort.

Cyber networks power almost everything we do, from our computers and cell phones and iPods to the electrical grid that allows us to turn on our lights. They also operate the classified military and intelligence networks that keep us safe and provide critical data to our troops in combat.

As a member of the Intelligence Committee and chairman of the Technical and Tactical Subcommittee, which oversees the technical aspects of cybersecurity, I know that protecting our cyber networks is a top economic and national security priority. We are under attack each and every day. These attacks have cost the U.S.A. $1 trillion last year, and also put classified information in the hands of our enemies.

Cybersecurity is a tough challenge because the government does not own the Internet. In fact, 85 percent of cyber is held privately. We have to get the public and private sectors on the same page, and this bill does that. This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the measurement laboratory for our Nation, based in Maryland, to develop international cybersecurity technical standards. It also charges NIST with creating education campaigns for the public, a critical component to meeting this challenge.

This bill also helps to ensure that we have the workforce in place to meet the new demands by providing scholarships to students who agree to work as cybersecurity specialists after graduation. The bill also funds faculty and curriculum development at U.S. colleges and universities to help with the shortage of qualified cyber professors.

I also support the amendment proposed by my Maryland colleague, Congressman Kratovil, to establish a National Center of Excellence for Cybersecurity to consolidate our resources into one cyberclearinghouse. Protecting our Nation's network is not a Democratic or Republican initiative; it is USA first.

The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield the gentleman 20 additional seconds.

Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Let's pass H.R. 4061 and make sure our own cybernetworks don't become a new weapon in our enemies' arsenals.

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