[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 64 (Thursday, April 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E633-E634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PROTECTING CYBER NETWORKS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. DEVIN NUNES

                             of califorhnia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 22, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1560) to 
     improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced 
     sharing of information about cybersecurity threats, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. NUNES. Madam Chair, I submit the following exchange of letters 
regarding H.R. 1560:

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                    Washington, DC, April 7, 2015.
     Hon. Devin Nunes,
     Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman Nunes: I am writing concerning H.R. 1560, 
     the ``Protecting Cyber Networks Act,'' which your Committee 
     ordered reported on March 26, 2015.
       As you know, H.R. 1560 contains provisions within the 
     Committee on the Judiciary's Rule X jurisdiction. As a result 
     of your having consulted with the Committee and in order to 
     expedite the House's consideration of H.R. 1560, the 
     Committee on the Judiciary will not assert a jurisdictional 
     claim over this bill by seeking a sequential referral. 
     However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding and 
     agreement that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary with respect 
     to the appointment of conferees or to any future 
     jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in 
     the bill or similar legislation.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding, and would request that you include a copy 
     of this letter and your response in the Committee Report and 
     in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of 
     this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Permanent Select Committee on 
           Intelligence,
                                   Washington, DC, April 10, 2015.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for your letter 
     regarding H.R. 1560, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act. As 
     you noted, certain provisions of the bill fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary. As you also 
     noted, the language of those provisions was the result of 
     consultations with you in advance of the Permanent Select 
     Committee on Intelligence's consideration of the bill. I 
     agree that your letter in no way diminishes or alters the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary with respect 
     to the appointment of conferees or to any future 
     jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in 
     the bill or any similar legislation.
       I appreciate your willingness to forego consideration of 
     the bill in the interest of expediting this legislation for 
     floor consideration. I will include a copy of your letter and 
     this response in our Committee's report on H.R. 1560 and the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the legislation 
     on the House floor. Thank you for your assistance with this 
     matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Devin Nunes,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and 
           Government Reform,
                                   Washington, DC, April 13, 2015.
     Hon. Devin Nunes,
     Chairman, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: On March 26, 2015, the Permanent Select 
     Committee on Intelligence

[[Page E634]]

     ordered H.R. 1560, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act reported 
     to the House. Thank you for consulting with the Committee on 
     Oversight and Government Reform with regard to H.R. 1560 on 
     those matters within the Committee's jurisdiction. I am 
     writing to confirm our mutual understanding with respect to 
     the consideration of the bill.
       The bill contains provisions that fall within the Rule X 
     subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and 
     Government Reform. The Committee has purview over the Freedom 
     of Information Act (FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552), which H.R. 1560 
     directly amends. Section 10 of the bill directly amends 5 
     U.S.C. 552 to create a new 5 U.S.C. 552(b) provision that 
     exempts the entire Act from FOIA, including any subsequent 
     amendments. Prior to floor consideration, we will work 
     together to remove section 10 and consider improvements to 
     other sections of the bill referencing 5 U.S.C. 552.
       In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of 
     H.R. 1560, I will not request a sequential referral of the 
     bill. However, I do so only with the understanding that this 
     procedural route will not be construed to prejudice the 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's jurisdictional 
     interest and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar 
     legislation and will not be considered as precedent for 
     consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my 
     Committee in the future.
       I respectfully request your support for the appointment of 
     outside conferees from the Committee on Oversight and 
     Government Reform should this bill or a similar bill be 
     considered in a conference with the Senate. I also request 
     that you include our exchange of letters on this matter in 
     the Committee Report on H.R. 1560 and in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. 
     Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jason Chaffetz,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Permanent Select Committee on 
           Intelligence,
                                   Washington, DC, April 13, 2015.
     Hon. Jason Chaffetz,
     Chairman, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Chaffetz: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 1560, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act. As you noted, 
     certain provisions of the bill related to 5 U.S.C. Sec.  552 
     fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight 
     and Government Reform. As you also noted, we have agreed to 
     continue to work with you on these provisions. I agree that 
     your letter in no way diminishes or alters the jurisdiction 
     of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with 
     respect to the appointment of conferees or to any future 
     jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in 
     the bill or any similar legislation.
       I appreciate your willingness to forego consideration of 
     the bill in the interest of expediting this legislation for 
     floor consideration. I will include a copy of your letter and 
     this response in our Committee's report on H.R. 1560 and the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the legislation 
     on the House floor. Thank you for your assistance with this 
     matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Devin Nunes,
     Chairman.

                          ____________________