Political Quotes

“My amendment ensures that utility districts are not unnecessarily and unintentionally limited from protecting their own information and ultimately will lead to a broader and more effective information sharing structure, leading to better cybersecurity across all critical infrastructure. Specifically, the amendment replaces the word ``local,'' which is typically interpreted to mean city, town, and county by the courts. Such a definition, I believe, could potentially leave out special districts that provide utility services, like the Salt River Project, the Central Arizona Project, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and other smaller special districts. My amendment, Madam Chair, which is supported by the American Public Power Association, changes the bill to read, ``political subdivision,'' allowing more utilities to receive the protections built into our bill. In doing so, it also makes the language consistent with the preemption provision in the bill. If not amended, this legislation could subject utility districts to additional requirements if they share threat information, effectively creating a deterrent to participation--precisely what we want to avoid. We know that myriad threats are arrayed against the networks that run our critical infrastructure, and we must ensure that the utilities, which are the front lines in the cybersecurity fight, are properly protected.…”