On the recordJanuary 12, 2017
Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to a vote on final passage as amended. Mr. Speaker, the amendment I am offering this afternoon is simple. It would prevent any jurisdiction's swap laws from automatically being considered comparable to the United States if it is found to have engaged in cyber attacks targeting U.S. elections. As someone who has been involved in cybersecurity policy for the better part of a decade, it could not be more relevant, it could not be more timely. During the past year, Mr. Speaker, the core of our democracy came under attack. The Russian Government, acting under the orders of authoritarian President Vladimir Putin, conducted a sustained information warfare campaign designed to undermine the American people's faith in our electoral system. The influence operation involved traditional tradecraft, including Russian state-owned media broadcasters. It also, notably and notoriously, involved the hacking of Democratic Party organizations, including the Democratic National Committee. These are facts, Mr. Speaker. They are the findings of independent security researchers that have been recently confirmed by the brave men and women serving their country as part of the intelligence community for whom I have great respect. The contours of what happened are indisputable, and they should be undisputed.…





