Energy Emergency Leadership Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3277) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act with respect to functions assigned to Assistant Secretaries, 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 in the Record on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act. Sponsored by Representatives Walberg and Blunt Rochester, H.R. 3277 has strong bipartisan support, passing out of the Energy and Commerce Committee 48-0 last May.

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 the DOE are organized under the leadership of an Assistant Secretary confirmed by the Senate.

This bill amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to establish in law this Assistant Secretary level of leadership at the Department of Energy's emergency response and cybersecurity functions.

This bill will ensure the Department has focused and accountable leadership to protect the public more fully from fuel and electricity supply disruptions against natural or manmade hazards, including emerging threats from our foreign adversaries to the Nation's electric grid.

Under this legislation, the DOE will carry out its responsibilities in coordination with other agencies with improved coordination across the Department, better interagency collaborations, and greater accountability to the United States 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 that they need to respond to energy emergencies.

A vote for H.R. 3277 is a vote for ensuring accountable DOE leadership

over energy emergencies for the benefit of public safety and welfare and for stronger cybersecurity protections within the energy systems.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), one of the authors of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an important time to address cybersecurity in this Nation. The energy infrastructure that we have is vulnerable. The gentleman from Michigan mentioned the Colonial Pipeline incident, which affected my State of South Carolina.

Republicans generally aren't about growing government, creating new positions, and whatever, but it is important to raise this to the level of Assistant Secretary to put the emphasis where the Nation needs it to be at the Department of Energy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) and the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester) for authoring this bill. I thank the minority on the Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as the majority members, for supporting this through the full committee, and I would love for all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from South Carolina for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act. Working with my good friend, Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, this bipartisan legislation was introduced to help address an ever-growing need.

We live in a world where energy infrastructure is constantly facing threats. As we become more reliant on technology in all aspects of our grid, it is important to understand the magnitude of the risks associated with this dependence.

We face the persistent threat of cyberattacks, like the Colonial Pipeline, which paralyzed multiple regions of our country for an entire week in 2021. Our energy infrastructure is the most targeted critical infrastructure sector, facing 39 percent of cyber incidents.

The sophistication and sheer numbers of cyberattacks are growing by the year, but these aren't the only threats. In addition, our energy systems have become increasingly more complex. They have also become more vulnerable to all manner of hazards, including natural disasters, physical attacks, and global shortages. According to The Wall Street Journal, physical attacks on energy infrastructure catapulted by 71 percent from 2021 to 2022.

We need to make sure the Department of Energy is properly equipped to combat these threats and respond in case of an emergency.

The FAST Act provided the DOE with several new energy security authorities to respond to physical attacks and cyberattacks on our critical energy infrastructure. The Trump administration built on this authority by creating the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, or CESER.

This legislation would amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to require the Secretary of Energy to assign energy emergency and energy security functions to an Assistant Secretary of CESER, including responsibilities concerning infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Strengthening our cyber defense and emergency response capabilities in the energy sector has never been more important. We must do everything we can to protect energy reliability, and this bipartisan legislation is a simple yet effective step that needs to be taken.

For too long, the Department of Energy's emergency functions have long been oriented around oil supply shocks, but defense and response to physical attacks and cyberattacks have not been defined as a clear function. This can lead to downstream effects causing confusion and complications to the Department seeking to address the threats.

This legislation would help elevate energy emergency and cybersecurity responsibilities as a core function for the Department and better protect our grid and critical energy infrastructure. It would strengthen coordination across the Department, ensure more effective interagency communication, and increase accountability to Congress and the American people.

We live in a modern world with modern threats requiring modern solutions. H.R. 3277 is a necessary response to these threats.

Last Congress, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act passed the House with overwhelming support from Members on both sides of the aisle. Since then, threats have only increased; the stakes have risen; and there is consensus to get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act. This is a bipartisan bill that passed the House in the 117th Congress and is necessary to protect our energy grid from cyberattacks. Our energy infrastructure and grid have seen a number of attacks over the past few years from state actors and other malicious actors. We must defend our grid from cyberattacks.

H.R. 3277 establishes a new Assistant Secretary position at the Department of Energy responsible for cybersecurity and emergency response issues. H.R. 3277 would give the new Assistant Secretary jurisdiction over all energy emergency and security functions related to energy supply, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. This includes responsibilities related to coordination, response, and restoration.

Given today's national security concerns, it is crucial that all of these responsibilities rest with an Assistant Secretary at the Department of Energy, the agency with sector expertise.

The bill would also vest the Assistant Secretary with the authority to provide DOE technical assistance and support to State, local, or Tribal governments upon request, and it would require the Assistant Secretary and DOE to coordinate with other relevant Federal agencies in carrying out the bill's provisions.

DOE already does great work to protect our energy infrastructure. The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response has been at the forefront of protecting our grid and coordinating responses to attacks. By codifying an Assistant Secretary for cybersecurity and emergency response issues, this legislation would go a long way in helping to protect the Nation's electric infrastructure from hackers and other bad actors that attempt to disrupt our energy grid and harm our economy, our daily lives, and our overall national security.

I commend Representatives Blunt Rochester and Walberg for their bipartisan efforts to protect our energy infrastructure. I hope we can continue to work together on cybersecurity matters moving forward to defend our country from the ongoing threat of cyberattacks.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, energy security should be handled by the Department of Energy. This is important for our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, which is an important step in ensuring America's electrical grid is secure.

The Energy Emergency Leadership Act requires the Department of Energy to establish a new Assistant Secretary position that has dedicated focus on preparing and responding to physical attacks and cyberattacks on the grid.

As co-chair of the bipartisan Grid Innovation Caucus, I am encouraged that we have this opportunity to highlight the great bipartisan work emerging from the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Dedicated leadership and coordination are necessary for ensuring security. Our electrical grid is fundamental to our everyday lives, and protecting the grid from both cyber and physical attacks is a cause that deserves our full attention.

It is too easy to take for granted the reliability of our power grid and the stability and safety it provides for us every single day. Without this infrastructure, we would not be able to stay connected with loved ones, heat and light our homes, or engage in everyday commerce that keeps our economy moving and workers employed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan and the gentlewoman from Delaware for leading this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Energy Emergency Leadership Act to strengthen the resilience of our power grids, fortify the United States' national security, and protect American families.