Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1687) to amend section 21 of the Small Business Act to require cyber certification for small business development center counselors, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us today, S. 1687, the Small Business Cyber Training Act of 2022.

The House passed its companion bill, H.R. 4515, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act on November 2, 2021.

S. 1687, would establish a cyber counseling certification program for lead SBDC staff to provide specific, free-of-charge cyber training for small businesses.

As more businesses utilize the internet for social media advertising, payment systems, and global markets, more of them become vulnerable to cyberattacks. The cyber disruptions can destroy IT systems and derail operations, sometimes forcing the business to shut down.

Cyberattack damage is not just limited to the IT systems; it can also erode customers' trust and tarnish a business' reputation.

With that said, a recent SBA survey found that 88 percent of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyberattack, but reported that they couldn't afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or just do not know where to begin.

Given the greater risk cyberattacks pose to small businesses and their limited capacity to protect against them, we must find ways to help entrepreneurs strengthen their cybersecurity posture. The SBA and SBDCs are ready, willing, and able to fill these gaps.

Under this legislation, lead SBDCs would be required to provide cyber training and resources and facilitate cybersecurity investments that are typically too expensive for small businesses.

S. 1687 makes minor technical changes to the House passed bill and were agreed upon by all stakeholders. I thank our House leaders, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Evans, Ms. Houlahan, and Mr. Chabot, who have been true advocates on this issue. I applaud their commitment to helping small business owners protect their livelihood from destructive cyberattacks.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The use of digital tools dramatically increased during the pandemic, even here in Congress; and the massive shift to remote work has resulted in a significant rise in cybersecurity threats and attacks.

Guarding against cyberattacks often comes with significant costs and a substantial investment of time and resources. Unfortunately, small businesses operating on thin margins have fewer resources to dedicate to cybersecurity.

S. 1687 ensures that the Nation's 62 lead SBDCs are fully equipped to assist small businesses with their cybersecurity needs at no cost. The bill would eliminate the primary obstacle of investment costs and make cybersecurity mitigation easier to adopt.

This bill is a commonsense solution to complex problems. I urge my colleagues to support S. 1687, the Small Business Cyber Training Act of 2022, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4515) to amend the Small Business Act to require cyber certification for small business development center counselors, and for other purposes.

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 the measure under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4515, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act. This legislation will enable Small Business Development Centers, SBDCs, to better assist small businesses with their cybersecurity needs.

Small businesses often lack the resources, training, or technical knowledge to prevent a cyberattack before it happens. In the past year alone, 47 percent of small businesses experienced a cyberattack, and out of those, 44 percent experienced more than one.

A cyberattack can cripple a small business, and the repercussions can be felt across the supply chain. In fact, the cost of a single breach can cost upwards of $200,000 or more. During hearings over the years, my committee has heard heartbreaking stories of how just one cyberattack forced companies to close their doors permanently.

Today's legislation takes action to provide much-needed resources to any small company, whether it is our local pizza shop or an independent Uber driver, to educate and protect themselves from growing cybercrime.

Because SBDCs have a proven record of understanding the needs of small businesses, H.R. 4515 would establish a cyber counseling certification program in SBDCs to provide specific, free-of-charge cyber training for small entities.

The cyber training provided by the nationwide network of SBDCs will offer crucial resources for small employers to plan and implement cybersecurity protections and combat cyberattacks.

I thank my colleagues, Mr. Andrew Garbarino from New York, Mr. Steve Chabot from Ohio, and Mr. Dwight Evans and Ms. Chrissy Houlahan from Pennsylvania, for their work on this bill. I am confident that the bipartisan work of the Small Business Committee will better fortify our Nation's cyber infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, our national cybersecurity infrastructure is only as strong as our weakest links. America's small companies need the same cybersecurity protections as Fortune 500 businesses and the Federal Government but often lack the resources.

This bill would go a long way in assisting small businesses with their cybersecurity needs. The training and resources provided by SBDCs will offer crucial resources for small businesses to plan and implement cybersecurity protections and minimize the damage of cyber incidents.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H.R. 4515, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021.

Small Business Development Centers, or SBDCs, perform numerous important roles for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. They are also

on the front lines, assisting small business owners with business plans and questions regarding access to capital.

Unfortunately, cyberattacks are on the rise, and small businesses remain vulnerable. H.R. 4515 requires SBDCs to be better equipped and trained to assist small businesses with their cybersecurity needs.

More attention needs to be given to small businesses and how they deal with cyber intrusions. Empowering SBDCs is one way to do this.

I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), and the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) for their work on this bill. I also thank the chair for continuing to act on legislation dealing with cybersecurity, one of the most critical issues facing us today.

Overall, these are crucial and important issues facing small businesses, and I am grateful for the gentlewoman's partnership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4515, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we must take a serious look at how businesses are impacted by cyberattacks. Small businesses operate on thin margins. Thus, a cyber intrusion could be a lethal blow to them.

SBDCs must be ready to assist all small businesses where cyber questions arise. This is a smart and commonsense bill that should move forward.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4515 and all the small business bills that have been before us today. Each bill tackles important issues facing American job creators.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for the opportunity to support this bill.

I rise in support of H.R. 4515, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act, which increases the ability of Small Business Development Centers across our country to provide cybersecurity planning assistance and counseling to small businesses. This important bill requires that at least five staff members, or 10 percent of the total number of employees, in each Small Business Development Center in the country are certified in cybersecurity planning and assistance.

My community is fortunate to have two Small Business Development Centers, one in Reading and one in Exton. As a former entrepreneur myself before joining Congress, I know intimately and firsthand how important these centers are. I am grateful for their commitment to help entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground, establish themselves, and ultimately to thrive. With the enactment of this bipartisan bill, they will be able to help more small businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania defend against cyberattacks.

I want to make the following clear to everyone in Congress and across America: If we are not protecting our small businesses, we are not protecting our economy. The rise in cyberattacks against our economy and our economic infrastructure should be cause for very serious alarm. We need to be doing everything in our power to not only shore up our defense but also to equip our small business owners with the tools that they need to defend their businesses.

I was proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with my colleagues, Andrew Garbarino from New York, Steve Chabot from Ohio, and my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania, Dwight Evans. I thank the Small Business Committee chair, Nydia Velazquez, again for helping bring this important bill to a vote in the House today.

I urge my colleagues to join me and to vote ``yes'' on this very important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the House Amendment to S. 1687, the Small Business Cyber Training Act of 2022.

All businesses, regardless of size or available resources, are susceptible to cyber threats. If large businesses can become victims of cybercrimes, small businesses are even more vulnerable.

This bipartisan legislation directs Small Business Development Centers, SBDCs, to provide training to thwart potential attacks and educate small businesses on the most up-to-date cybersecurity practices. With over 1,000 local centers nationwide, SBDCs are well- positioned to assist small businesses with their cybersecurity needs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garbarino for his leadership on this issue and commitment to enhancing Missouri's economic competitiveness and cyber resiliency.

I also thank my counterparts in the Senate for their work on this legislation.

S. 1687 passed the Senate in September, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill we have before us today that does not include unneeded reimbursement provisions included in the final form.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

S. 1687, as amended, takes important steps to prepare small businesses to combat cybersecurity threats.

This bipartisan bill to expand services at Small Business Development

Centers will ensure small businesses have the resources necessary to create a cybersecurity plan and detect cyber risks.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and I yield back the balance of my time.