[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21626-21627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             SECURE OUR NATION'S TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

  (Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest threats 
to

[[Page 21627]]

our national security is the vulnerability of our Nation's technology 
infrastructure.
  In this age where everything is becoming wired, computers oversee our 
bank accounts, military system, electric grid, communication systems, 
dams and power plants, air traffic control systems, and countless other 
vital parts of our society. These systems are attacked every single 
day. The fact is one of these systems is likely being attacked right 
now.
  The President has said that securing our Nation's networks is a 
priority for his administration. However, I am concerned that, while 
Congress was away in August, two of our government's top cybersecurity 
officials resigned, and we still have no cybersecurity coordinator 
within the White House.
  We must regain focus, fill these vacant high-level positions and 
implement a plan to secure our networks before an attack does 
irreparable harm to our Nation.

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