William F. Smith: “Mr. Speaker, I support the Senate amendment to H.R. 3394, the Cyber Security Research and Development Act. Earlier this…”

“Mr. Speaker, I support the Senate amendment to H.R. 3394, the Cyber Security Research and Development Act. Earlier this year, a federally funded research center operated by Carnegie Mellon University reported that breaches in security of computer systems more than doubled from 2000 to 2001. More than 52,000 incidents were reported in 2001, up from 22,000 in 2000. Last spring the Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security that I chair held a series of hearings on cyber crime. We heard testimony from local, State and Federal officials and also from the private sector. A common observation emerged: The demand for highly trained and skilled personnel to investigate computer crimes is tremendous. This problem is compounded by the rapid advances in technology which make continued training an absolute necessity. We must have training both for a new generation of cyber warriors whose most important weapon is not a gun but a laptop and for private sector companies that must protect their Internet presence. This bill seeks to expand what many States and cities are already doing, investing in cyber security training activities.”