Richard L. Hanna: “Thank you for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am speaking on the previous offering by Mr. Mulvaney. I'd like to rise and speak…”

“Thank you for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am speaking on the previous offering by Mr. Mulvaney. I'd like to rise and speak in opposition to the administration's proposed 2013 budget plan. I'd like to speak about one particular issue of concern. Despite the administration's emphasizing of the importance of cybersecurity and the need to retain our technological edge, this budget presents a stark contradiction to these priorities. Key program areas that are essential to maintaining our Nation's 21st century defense initiatives have been unreasonably slashed in this proposal. For example, the Air Force's science and technology cyber funding has been cut 17 percent. Over $1 billion has been cut from the Air Force's total funding level for research, development, testing, and evaluation programs. {time} 2020 I can personally attest to the innovative accomplishments that are produced by the Air Force Research Labs, such as Rome Lab in Rome, New York. For instance, the Air Force Research Labs were the first to institute computer network attack and exploitation as a formal science and technology discipline. Secretary Panetta has warned that a cyberattack could very well be the next Pearl Harbor that our Nation confronts. Both our defense enterprises and our commercial economy have become dependent on information technology, which makes it critical that we protect our networks. We can't say one thing and do another when it comes to prioritizing our 21st century cyberdefenses.…”