Secure Federal File Sharing Act

Floor Speech

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

The bill we are now considering, H.R. 4098, the Secure Federal File Sharing Act, is intended to improve the cybersecurity of Federal systems in response to a series of troubling breaches of confidential information. It requires the director of the Office of Management and Budget to issue new guidance prohibiting the use of open network peer-to-peer file sharing software on all Federal computers and networks, including those of contractors working on the government's behalf.

Peer-to-peer file sharing software allows users to instantly connect with each other to search and copy electronic files, most commonly music and movies. The committee has been investigating the dangers of peer-to-peer file sharing software for 9 years. During that time, we discovered a frightening amount of child pornography, thousands of personal tax filings, medical records, and highly sensitive government information, including the location of a Secret Service safe house for the first family and an electronic schematic for Marine One, all available on open peer-to-peer networks to millions of users around the world.

What's clear is that as the popularity of file sharing has grown, so have the privacy and security risks. For the Federal Government, those risks are simply too great to ignore. H.R. 4098 would codify an existing OMB memorandum prohibiting Federal employees from using certain peer-to-peer file sharing programs and strengthen that policy by extending it to include Federal contractors working on the government's behalf. This is a good bill, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this good bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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