Norman D. Dicks: “One of the things that worries me about this bill is the role that the Department of Homeland Security plays in…”

“One of the things that worries me about this bill is the role that the Department of Homeland Security plays in cybersecurity, and the fact that we have cut the S&T budget worries me because there were a number of projects, science and technology projects, underway to help us deal with this great threat to our country. I serve on the Defense Subcommittee. I have served on the Intelligence Committee. Cybersecurity gives an asymmetrical advantage to others--China, Russia, and Iran--penetrating the networks of our major defense companies. We've had stories just this week about Lockheed. They say this has been going on since the nineties, and this issue worries me. And I am concerned. You have bioterrorism, you have the threat of nuclear weapons, and you have the threat of cyber attacks. And this last one is where we're most vulnerable. And we have critical infrastructure in this country where homeland security is supposed to be taking care of it. The Defense Department has a Cyber Command. NSA has signed an agreement between the Defense Department and Homeland Security about sharing people so we get some of the expertise from the NSA over in Homeland Security. My concern is that we still don't have a real plan for our utilities and our critical infrastructure in this country. This is something that Homeland Security has to be involved in. And, as I said, they support the rest of the government. The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman from North Carolina has expired.…”