Joaquin Castro: “I thank Ranking Member Thompson for yielding me this time and for his support of this legislation. He and his staff have…”

“I thank Ranking Member Thompson for yielding me this time and for his support of this legislation. He and his staff have been terrific partners in moving this bill forward. I would also like to thank my fellow Texans, Chairman McCaul, Congressman Hurd, Congressman Ratcliffe, and also Congressman Richmond, who is not a Texan, but is a wonderful person here in our body, for all of their work on this issue. Every day our Nation faces a growing number of potentially debilitating cyber threats. Our retailers, our banks, government agencies, military operations, and everyday private American citizens all face these threats. We must ensure that our defenses are as strong as possible because of that. I represent San Antonio, a national leader in the cybersecurity field. Institutions in San Antonio do cutting-edge cyber work that keeps our Nation safe. For example, the University of Texas at San Antonio leads the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium, which helps communities across the Nation improve their cyber defenses. It is critical that localities understand the impact cyber attacks could have on their ability to function and are prepared to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from harmful cyber incidents. UTSA and its cybersecurity consortium are educating communities about these cyber threats and helping them develop the defenses they need to successfully withstand a cyber emergency.…”