Peters Statement on Administration's National Cybersecurity Strategy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s National Cybersecurity Strategy:

“Combating persistent and ever-evolving cybersecurity threats requires an all hands on deck approach from the public and private sectors. The Biden Administration’s National Cybersecurity Strategy is a significant step to ensuring our nation is ready to strengthen our defenses and fight back against foreign adversaries and cybercriminals that continue targeting our systems. I appreciate that the strategy recognizes the importance of implementing my historic law requiring critical infrastructure to report breaches to the federal government, which will better secure frequent targets of cyber-attacks. I will closely examine this strategy, quickly consider the parts of it that will require Congressional action, and continue leading efforts to strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity defenses.”

As Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has led significant efforts to strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity.Peters wrote a law that, for the first time, requires critical infrastructure owners and operators to report to the federal government if they experience a substantial cyber-attack or if they make a ransomware payment. Peters’ bipartisan bill to enhance cybersecurity assistance to K-12 schools across the country was also signed into law. Peters’ bipartisan bills to bolster cybersecurity for state and local governments, strengthen the federal cybersecurity workforce, and help secure federal information technology supply chains were also signed into law last Congress. The Chairman secured several provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure law to bolster cybersecurity – including $100 million fund to help victims of a serious cyber-attack recover quickly. Peters also released an investigative report on the role cryptocurrencies continue to play in emboldening and incentivizing cybercriminals to commit ransomware attacks that pose an increasing national security threat.

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