SC Tennessee News

Legislation targeting cybersecurity threats from China has been introduced, led by Rep. Ogles. The new law requires a task force to deliver a detailed report to Congress annually for the next five years. Passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress, the legislation aims to mitigate the risks posed by Chinese-backed cyberattacks.

Congressman Ogles emphasized the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), stating, "The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest foreign adversary we face, and Beijing continues to use cyberspace as a battlefield on which to undermine American sovereignty and interests." Ogles highlighted past attacks on critical infrastructure and political communication networks and underscored the need for effective government coordination to prevent future incidents.

Chairman Mark Green also commented on the situation, stating, “For too long, the federal government has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to combating increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks on our networks by Chinese-backed actors." Green referenced "Typhoon" intrusions as a sign of the increasing threat and called for a "coordinated, whole-of-government effort" to address these challenges.

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Chairman Andrew Garbarino remarked on the ongoing threats from Chinese cyber actors like Typhoons, noting, “The cyber campaigns waged by PRC-backed actors like the Typhoons are acts of espionage aimed at placing U.S. critical infrastructure at risk.” Garbarino stressed the significance of an interagency approach to addressing these concerns.

Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar echoed these sentiments, saying, "The Chinese Communist Party is increasingly using cyberattacks to target our critical infrastructure, and it's time to take action to address this growing threat to the American people.” Moolenaar supports the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act to ensure adequate resources to counter these threats.

Rep. Laurel Lee expressed her backing of the legislation: “The Chinese Communist Party, through cyber threat actors like Volt Typhoon, continues to infiltrate America’s critical infrastructure, posing a direct threat to our national security and economy.” Lee joined the bill as a cosponsor, advocating for a unified government strategy.

The legislation has support from several cosponsors, including Reps. Mark Green, Laurel Lee, John Moolenaar, and Andrew Garbarino.