May 11, 2021 (WASHINGTON) – Today, leaders of the Homeland Security Committee and the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee sent a letter to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the national security and economic security implications of the Colonial Pipeline Company ransomware attack, which could lead to rising fuel costs and fuel shortages. In the letter, the Members ask for a formal briefing as soon as possible from the interagency task force the White House established in response to the attack.
“We are deeply concerned about the security of our nation’s critical infrastructure and the industrial control systems (ICS) that underpin many national critical functions,” the Members wrote. “As we have repeatedly stressed, cybersecurity is no longer just an ‘IT issue’ but instead an economic and national security challenge that can have real-world impacts to our security. It is imperative that he federal response is rapid, clear, and consistent.”
The letter is signed by Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY), Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Homeland Security Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation Subcommittee Chairwoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Ranking Member Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Railroads, Pipelines, & Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Rick Crawford (R-AR), Transportation & Maritime Security Subcommittee Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Intelligence & Counterterrorism Subcommittee Chairwoman Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Ranking Member August Pfluger (R-TX).
“In addition to a more detailed understanding of the cyber forensics of the incident response and more formal adversary attribution, we want to make sure there is interagency clarity in roles and responsibilities between the National Security Council, CISA, Sector Risk Management Agencies, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the Members added. “Now is a time to focus on critical infrastructure resilience, not relitigate federal turf battles.”
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