[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 87 (Friday, May 19, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     STRENGTHENING STATE AND LOCAL CYBER CRIME FIGHTING ACT OF 2017

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                               speech of

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2017

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1616, 
or the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017. 
This piece of legislation will help our local and state agencies 
protect against the rising threat of cybercrime.
  The Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 
will provide more protection for our citizens by sharing the expertise 
and knowledge of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with local 
and state agencies so that they have the ability to stop these threats 
at a local level. Law enforcement officials in states, tribes, and 
territories will be provided with additional training to identify 
potential issues.
  Cybercrime is a growing threat to American security. Hackers have 
become notorious lately, stealing a plethora of information including 
credit cards numbers, security codes, bank numbers, and other personal 
information that can compromise the security of an individual. Further 
protections and training in cyber security also protect local 
municipalities and state government intranets and cyber services which 
are also at risk of compromise.
  In DHS, there is an organization known as the National Computer 
Forensics Institute that is under the oversight of the United States 
Secret Service. The Institute oversees the fight against cyber threats 
on a national level. Under H.R. 1616, the members of the Institute will 
be able to provide high quality training to lower echelon departments 
at state and local levels, to assist them in the battle against 
cybercrime. On top of the training, the Institute will provide new, 
advanced technology to these agencies to even further their ability to 
combat cybercrime.
  As technology has progressed, hackers have found new ways to 
dishonestly make a living. We are at the precipice of a new age of 
technological advances that come with more sinister implications. With 
new technology, new threats have materialized that can have major 
impacts on all of our lives. Hackers can steal personal files, ruin our 
reputations, and destroy our financial stability. They can slow or 
destabilize our local governments, making our lives harder.
  This bill helps to put the United States at an advantage against 
hackers. We will now be able to more effectively combat these criminals

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