[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 126 (Monday, July 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3638-H3639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ENERGY EMERGENCY LEADERSHIP ACT

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3119) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act 
with respect to functions assigned to Assistant Secretaries, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3119

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Emergency Leadership 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS ASSIGNED TO ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.

       (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 203 of the 
     Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7133(a)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(12) Energy emergency and energy security functions, 
     including--
       ``(A) responsibilities with respect to infrastructure, 
     cybersecurity, emerging threats, supply, and emergency 
     planning, coordination, response, and restoration; and
       ``(B) upon request of a State, local, or tribal government 
     or energy sector entity, and in consultation with other 
     Federal agencies as appropriate, provision of technical 
     assistance, support, and response capabilities with respect 
     to energy security threats, risks, and incidents.''.
       (b) Coordination.--The Secretary of Energy shall ensure 
     that the functions of the Secretary described in section 
     203(a)(12) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (as 
     added by this Act) are performed in coordination with 
     relevant Federal agencies.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3119.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3119, the Energy Emergency 
Leadership Act. This legislation and the two other energy bills that 
will follow it are bipartisan bills that will protect our energy grid 
from cyberattacks. All three of these bills passed the House last 
Congress but were never taken up in the Senate. That must change this 
year as the need for this legislation becomes more important by the 
day.
  We have heard repeatedly from security experts and regulators over 
the last few years that our energy infrastructure and grid are being 
attacked by state actors or other entities. Indeed, just 2 months ago, 
large parts of this country suffered from gas shortages after a 
ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline.
  Former Energy Secretary Perry took the first step toward addressing 
the increasing risk of cyberattacks on our energy infrastructure by 
creating the Cybersecurity and Energy Security Emergency Response 
office, or CESER, as it is pronounced. He then enhanced its stature by 
making its leader an assistant secretary.
  So H.R. 3119 would amend section 203(a) of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act by establishing in statute the new assistant secretary 
position responsible for cybersecurity and emergency response issues.
  This bill also makes clear that this assistant secretary would have 
jurisdiction over all energy emergency and security functions related 
to energy supply, infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
  It also vests the assistant secretary with the authority to provide 
DOE technical assistance and support to State, local, or Tribal 
governments upon request.
  And it requires the assistant secretary and the Department of Energy 
to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security and other 
relevant Federal agencies in carrying out the bill's provisions. CESER 
performed this role admirably in May when it coordinated the whole-of-
government response to the Colonial Pipeline attack.
  By codifying an assistant secretary for cybersecurity and emergency 
response issues, this bill would go a long way in helping to protect 
the Nation's electric infrastructure from hackers and other bad actors 
who would attempt to disrupt our energy grid and harm our economy, our 
daily lives, and our overall national security. It would also 
appropriately raise the stature of the CESER office and provide more 
accountability over the vital functions with a lead person tasked with 
carrying them out.
  I commend Energy Subcommittee Chairman   Bobby Rush and 
Representative Walberg for their bipartisan effort to protect our 
energy infrastructure. This bipartisan cooperation is essential as we 
continue to work to defend our country from the threat of cyberattacks. 
I also thank Ranking Member Rodgers and Energy Subcommittee Ranking 
Member Upton for working with us to move this bill and the other two 
cybersecurity bills that will follow.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3119, the Energy Emergency 
Leadership Act.
  This bill, sponsored by Representatives Rush and Walberg, has strong 
bipartisan support, and passed on suspension last Congress.
  The bill is necessary to strengthen the Department of Energy's 
important energy emergency mission.
  It does so by requiring that the well-established energy emergency 
and cybersecurity functions at DOE are organized under the leadership 
of an assistant secretary confirmed by the Senate.
  Three-and-one-half years ago, Secretary of Energy Perry recognized 
the importance of elevating this position within the Department.
  He established an assistant secretary-led office, the Office of 
Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, which proved 
its worth in various situations over the past 2 years, including 
assistance relating to hurricanes and the recent Colonial Pipeline 
ransomware attack.
  This bill amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to 
establish in law this assistant secretary level of leadership of DOE's 
emergency response and cybersecurity functions.
  This bill will ensure the Department has the focused and accountable 
leadership to protect the public more fully

[[Page H3639]]

from fuel and electricity supply disruptions against all hazards, 
natural or man-made, including emerging threats from our foreign 
adversaries to the Nation's electric grid.
  The bill has been drafted to ensure the Department carries out its 
responsibility in coordination with other agencies by improving 
coordination across the Department; ensuring more effective interagency 
collaborations; and increasing accountability to Congress.
  Establishing accountable leadership of this DOE mission is an 
important step in the face of increased threats, vulnerabilities, and 
interdependencies of energy infrastructure and end-use systems.
  Protecting energy security requires defense in depth.
  This means a strong energy sector, strong state capabilities, and 
ensuring sector agencies, like the Department of Energy, have the tools 
and accountable leadership they need to respond to energy emergencies.
  A vote for H.R. 3119 is a vote for ensuring accountable DOE 
leadership over energy emergencies for the benefit of public safety and 
welfare and for stronger cybersecurity protections and energy systems.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Walberg), one of the coleads on this legislation.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding and 
allowing me the opportunity to speak.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 3119, the Energy Emergency Leadership 
Act. I thank my good friend from Illinois, Mr.   Bobby Rush, for 
continuing to work with me to get this bill across the finish line.
  This is the third Congress in a row that we have introduced this 
bill, each time passing the Committee on Energy and Commerce with 
unanimous, bipartisan support.
  And frankly, given what we have seen just over the last few months in 
disruptions to our energy supply--including the Colonial Pipeline 
attack--it is well past due for this important energy security measure 
to be enacted in law.
  Mr. Speaker, our Nation's economy and the health and safety of the 
American public depend upon the reliable and uninterrupted supply of 
fuels and electricity.
  Hazards of all forms--including natural disasters, digital, and 
cyberattacks--are no longer just threats. They are occurring at an 
alarming and continuing rate.
  Whether it is power outages in Texas and California due to weather 
events, or foreign adversaries hacking into our pipelines or grid, it 
is critical that we better equip our Federal agencies to prevent and 
respond to attacks in a way that fully protects the public.
  Presidential administrations of both parties have recognized this by 
providing the Department of Energy with the responsibilities, 
expertise, and tools to ensure the reliable supply of energy.
  It is time Congress does its part by requiring the energy emergency 
and cybersecurity functions at DOE to be organized under the leadership 
of an assistant secretary confirmed by the Senate. This will ensure the 
Department has focused and accountable leadership with high-level 
continuity throughout future administrations.
  H.R. 3119 will encourage more effective and seamless information-
sharing with Federal and industry stakeholders on energy security 
threats, risks, and incidents, as well as recovery and response.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3119 in 
order to protect our Nation's electric infrastructure from foreign 
adversaries who are attempting to disrupt our energy system and cause 
untold harm to our economy, our daily lives, and our national security.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I again thank Representative Walberg and Representative  
 Bobby Rush for their work on this very important legislation because, 
again, it is going to ensure that the Department of Energy has the 
focus and the accountable leadership to more fully protect the public 
from any electricity fuel supply disruptions against all hazards--
natural or manmade--including emerging threats from our foreign 
adversaries to our Nation's electric grid.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I thank both sides of the aisle, Mr. Latta 
and others, for their help in getting this bill moved.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I would ask support for the legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3119.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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