On Tuesday, December 10th, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the “Strengthening Networks to Defend Against Nation State Threats Act” (H.R. 9769). The bill was proposed by the House Homeland Security Committee to address the growing cyber threats to America’s critical infrastructure posed by Chinese hackers.
In September, Republican representatives Laurel Lee of Florida, Dr. Mark E. Green of Tennessee, and Chairman of the House China Task Force John Moolenaar introduced the H.R. 9769 bill. It aims to establish an interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to address the network threats posed by Chinese hackers.
Currently, prominent cyber threats facing the United States include the “Volt Typhoon” and the recently discovered “Salt Typhoon” targeting American telecommunications companies.
Laurel Lee stated, “Earlier this year, the FBI confirmed that Chinese hackers penetrated America’s critical infrastructure and accessed information from systems used by the federal government. We cannot allow our foreign adversaries to continue attacking the critical infrastructure that Americans rely on daily, which is crucial to the national economy.”
“I am pleased to see my bill, the ‘Strengthening Networks to Defend Against Nation State Threats Act,’ pass in the House of Representatives. This bill will establish a special task force to implement targeted, coordinated government responses to prevent Chinese (Communist) attacks on our critical networks.”
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Green said, “As China becomes increasingly brazen in cyberspace, my colleagues and I took a decisive step today to ensure that the entire government responds to these threat actors and strengthens our nation’s collective defense.”
“From the ‘Volt Typhoon’ disrupting our critical infrastructure to Chinese hackers embedded in our telecom networks, Beijing’s espionage and pre-positioning activities threaten the technology that supports Americans’ daily lives. If we fail to continue fighting these incursions, the real-world consequences for all Americans will be devastating. Both government and private sectors must better prepare to protect our networks. I thank Representative Lee for her leadership on this effort, and I urge the Senate to swiftly present this legislation to the President.”
Moolenaar remarked, “During a recent special committee hearing, FBI Director Ray disclosed that the U.S. had identified government-affiliated Chinese hackers collectively known as ‘Volt Typhoon.’ They infiltrated American critical infrastructure and installed malware, launching cyber attacks at chosen times. I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation led by Representative Laurel Lee, which will help safeguard the American people.”
The bill requires the task force to submit an annual confidential report and briefing to Congress for five years, outlining the investigation results, conclusions, and recommendations related to malicious cyber activities by the Chinese government.
Following its passage in the House, the Cybersecurity Review Board (CSRB) began evaluating the infiltration of American telecom networks by Chinese hackers dubbed “Salt Typhoon” by Microsoft. According to CISA, the Chinese hackers’ infiltration is ongoing and has affected at least eight American companies.