Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) released the following statement on President Biden’s new National Security Memorandum, “Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Systems:”
“I applaud the Biden Administration for taking these important steps to protect our critical infrastructure from the growing threat of cyber-attacks,” said Congresswoman Ross. “In the wake of the Colonial Pipeline attack, which had devastating effects in North Carolina, I have repeatedly called for improving our cybersecurity standards for critical sectors—especially for our energy sector. This directive represents a strong step forward in improving interagency and public-private sector coordination on this important issue, including between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). I thank President Biden for issuing this memorandum and will continue to push for a multi-pronged federal approach to better secure our country—from our infrastructure and federal agencies to our small businesses and universities—against the growing threat of cyber-attacks.”
Following the May 7th cyber-attack on Colonial Pipeline, Representatives Ross and Alma Adams (NC-12) led the North Carolina democratic delegation in a letter requesting a full investigation. Specifically, the letter called for mandatory cybersecurity standards for our energy systems.
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