[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 75 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012

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                               speech of

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1450) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes:

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chair, I was pleased to support Mr. Langevin's 
Amendment #49 to H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2012 earlier today. In the 111th Congress, I supported 
substantially similar language, H.R. 4900, offered by Representative 
Watson and approved by the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform.
  I agree with President Obama that the ``cyber threat is one of the 
most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a 
nation.'' Given the increasing connectivity between information 
systems, the Internet, and critical infrastructure such as our 
electrical grid, telecommunications systems, and financial systems, we 
must be able to defend these systems against cyber attacks from any 
origin.
  Cyber threats and attacks against information systems have continued 
to grow in both volume and intensity in recent years. Statistics from 
the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team indicate that the 
number of reported cyber incidents at federal agencies has increased 
over the last five years from approximately 5,000 in fiscal year 2006 
to more than 41,000 in fiscal year 2010.
  Mr. Langevin's amendment represents an important step to help secure 
our nation from cyber attacks by codifying multiple policy 
recommendations made by the Obama Administration, public-private sector 
working groups, and the Government Accountability Office. I am pleased 
to support these efforts, and I look forward to working with Mr. 
Langevin and the rest of my colleagues in the House and Senate to 
develop a comprehensive legislative proposal to strengthen our nation's 
cybersecurity.
  I am also pleased that the Obama Administration released its initial 
legislative proposal on cybersecurity last week. The proposal 
represents the start of a serious bipartisan discussion on 
cybersecurity legislation, and I look forward to participating in those 
conversations.

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