NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, which I was pleased to introduce with the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte).

Mr. Speaker, this important bipartisan legislation would cement the responsibilities of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, by codifying, renaming, and enhancing the work of its Office of Policy Analysis and Development, which plays a critical role in shaping our Nation's telecommunications and information objectives.

NTIA is already central to advancing market-driven strategies that foster innovation, expand broadband deployment, and promote a competitive digital economy. However, this legislation ensures that NTIA is equally empowered to help safeguard that digital future, particularly as the cybersecurity threats we face grow more complex and more dangerous by the day.

Last year's Salt Typhoon cyberattack was one of the most sophisticated and malicious efforts to infiltrate our telecommunications networks. It was a sobering reminder of how vulnerable our communications infrastructure remains and how deeply those vulnerabilities can impact multiple sectors from healthcare to national security.

In today's interconnected world, a breach in one wireless network can compromise critical services in transportation, healthcare, finance, and public safety. As our reliance on digital technologies increases, so too does the scale and sophistication of these threats, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence.

While AI holds tremendous potential to improve efficiency, optimize networks, and revolutionize industries, it also introduces new cybersecurity risks.

Foreign adversaries and malicious actors are already leveraging AI to enhance phishing campaigns, automate malware, and exploit zero-day vulnerabilities faster than ever before. These tools can evade traditional defenses, manipulate systems, and do so at a scale and speed that we have never encountered or imagined before.

That is why this legislation is so timely and so necessary. By reinforcing the NTIA's authority and resources in cybersecurity policy, we position the agency to not only be a leader in innovation and broadband expansion but a central player in securing the Nation's digital infrastructure against these emerging threats.

As the principal adviser to the President on telecommunications and information policy, NTIA must be equipped to identify risks early, coordinate effectively across agencies, and shape forward-looking policies that protect American consumers, businesses, and critical services.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleague for introducing this bill, and I urge my fellow Members to join me in supporting it. Strengthening NTIA's cybersecurity capabilities is not just a matter of good governance but a national security imperative.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1766) to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity, 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 the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, led by the gentleman from California's 23rd District and the gentlewoman from Virginia's Fourth District.

Cyber threats, whether originating from state actors, criminal organizations, or malicious hackers, pose significant risks to our national security, economy, and the privacy of our citizens.

The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, like we saw last year in the Salt Typhoon attack, underscores the urgency of addressing this ever-evolving challenge.

The NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act bolsters our Nation's cybersecurity posture by strengthening the coordination between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, and other relevant Federal agencies. Additionally, the bill renames the existing NTIA Office of Policy Analysis and Development to the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity and codifies the existing activities of the office.

H.R. 1766 seeks to promote effective information sharing, collaboration, and response efforts established in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. The legislation also facilitates public-private partnerships to develop and implement cybersecurity policies relating to communication networks.

By encouraging collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders, we can work together to address cyber threats and vulnerabilities more effectively.

Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan legislation passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote in the last Congress. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1766, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), the bill's sponsor from California's 23rd District.

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

Mr. Speaker, as you can see from today's bills coming from the Energy and Commerce Committee, cybersecurity is high on our list to make sure we are protecting the American public. I strongly ask my colleagues to support this legislation of the gentleman from California's 23rd and the gentlewoman from Virginia's 4th District. I request an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1766, The NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, is a critical agency within the Department of Commerce that works across the Federal government to develop telecommunications and information policy. Congress should support this agency and give it the resources and authorities it needs to fulfill its current mission. However, this bill would waste taxpayer dollars by unnecessarily duplicating activities already authorized by Congress.

The NTIA was originally part of its sister agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Since Congress established NTIA as its own agency in 1978, the two agencies have carried out complementary but distinct areas of work. NIST serves as an independent, unbiased arbiter of trusted measurements and standards while NTIA has its regulatory responsibilities.

These two agencies often work together, unfortunately this bill would swell NTIA's mission into a cybersecurity role to which it does not possess the appropriate experience or expertise and blur the lines between the agencies, especially on issues related to cybersecurity. For example, Congress authorized NIST, in collaboration with CISA, to conduct a cybersecurity activity related to the internet and communications networks in the Cybersecurity Enhancements Act of 2014, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2020, the HACKED Act of 2021, and more. H.R. 1766 would directly duplicate, at NTIA, those ongoing efforts underway at NIST. There is also a provision in the bill that implicates agencies outside of the Department of Commerce by duplicating the Department of Homeland Security's information technology supply chain security programs.

This Act was included as part of a broader NTIA Reauthorization that was considered in

the 118th Congress. At the time, the Department of Commerce weighed in requesting significant changes to the provision that are unfortunately not included in the Act we will consider today. As such, this bill merits further vetting and input from the Department of Commerce.

This bill needs to be changed to address these concerns. Until that happens I must regretfully oppose this legislation in its current form.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act.

Mr. Speaker, protecting our Nation's communication networks is of vital importance to our national security. This is particularly important now, when a significant amount of our country's economic and social activity has moved online and consumers are continuing to connect more devices to these networks every day.

We, therefore, must build safeguards into our country's communication networks to increase their safety and security while also promoting innovation and competition.

H.R. 1766 will help us achieve these goals. The bill authorizes the existing

Office of Policy Analysis and Development at the NTIA and renames it the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity. It also codifies the responsibilities of NTIA in administering parts of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act and requires the office to coordinate and develop policy initiatives to enhance cybersecurity efforts with respect to our communications networks.

The office will also be tasked with developing and analyzing policies that promote innovation, competition, and workforce development in the communications, media, and technology markets.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Obernolte and McClellan for their bipartisan work on this bill, which will ensure that there is a firm foundation within the Federal Government to oversee the security of our Nation's communications networks. This legislation is more important now than ever given our foreign adversaries' continued attacks on these networks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan), a member of our committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud support of my bill, H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act.

Mr. Speaker, as more and more of Americans' lives move into a digital format, it is leaving the information of Americans more and more vulnerable to cyberattacks. That is why it is critical that we establish cybersecurity protocols and capabilities to counter the threats not just of foreign actors but of cybercriminals and transnational criminal organizations who attempt to breach our data security and access the data of Americans.

This bill is an important step towards doing that. It establishes a new Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The role of this office would be to research the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the American economy and within our government and to coordinate efforts to counter cyber threats within those organizations.

Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is national security, and this bill is a meaningful step towards achieving that for the people who we represent.

I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their support on this bill, as well as my bipartisan co-lead, Congresswoman McClellan, and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''