Burgess Owens: “This week, the Department of Defense acknowledged in its cybersecurity plan what many of us have known for some time…”

“This week, the Department of Defense acknowledged in its cybersecurity plan what many of us have known for some time: that cyberspace, like land, sea, and air that we have defended for over 200 years, requires our continued vigilance to protect the Nation. I offer this final amendment today to address this concern. In my district of Fort Drum, I have a lengthy expanse of border between the United States and Canada; and like all of us, I have the electric grid, which is one of the areas that has the most potential to be struck by a cyberattack. I would also like to quote for you a statement by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who noted in recent testimony: ``The next Pearl Harbor we confront could very well be a cyberattack that cripples our power systems, our grid, our security systems, our financial systems, our governmental systems.'' It is no secret that the Internet has become a critical component of our day-to-day lives. Every day across the globe, over 2 billion users get online to shop, do business, connect with friends and family, and a host of other activities. Cybersecurity affects, clearly, our national defense, all of our businesses, our schools, our seniors--in effect, all of us. Indeed, while the Internet has become one of our strongest capabilities, it has also emerged as a stunning vulnerability.…”