On the recordApril 23, 2015
I thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for allowing me to offer this amendment. I rise to offer a National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act amendment, one to increase cybersecurity at our Nation's most at-risk ports. This amendment will direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress assessing risks and providing recommendations regarding cybersecurity at America's most at-risk ports, such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, New York, Houston. According to the American Association of Port Authorities, our ports contribute $4.6 trillion to the U.S. economy, making their security critical to our Nation. In order to remain efficient and globally competitive, our ports have become increasingly reliant on complex computer networks for everyday management. However, The Brookings Institution has found that there is a cybersecurity gap at our Nation's ports. Currently, we do not have cybersecurity standards for our ports to give Federal agencies the authority to address cybersecurity issues. This is completely unacceptable. The threat of cyber attack on the networks that manage the flow of U.S. commerce at our ports is real. As the Representative of the Nation's busiest port complex and as cofounder of the Congressional Ports Caucus, I know that a significant disruption at our ports cripples our economy. An estimated $1 billion a day was lost during the lockout at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach back in 2002.…
